Sport
29 May, 2025
Marg Lee honoured at night of nights
HARNESS Racing stalwart Marg Lee was this week named the recipient of harness racing’s most prestigious award for women.
Mrs Lee earned recognition as the latest Pearl Kelly Award recipient in front of some of the industry’s biggest names at the Victorian Harness Racing Awards night, held on Monday night at the Melton Entertainment Centre.
She joins industry greats who have been recognised through the award over the past 25 years, with the award named after Australia’s first licensed reinswoman.
Mrs Lee has boasted a phenomenal career in every aspect of racing, including more than 700 career wins.
Speaking with Western District Newspapers, Mrs Lee said she and the family were in attendance with a strong suspicion their phenom, Keayang Zahara, was going to take home an award – but was shocked when she herself was announced as a major winner.
“It’s an award which a lot of high-profile people have won, so it was pretty special,” she said.
“I was down there with the family because Keayang Zahara was up for the 3YO Trotting Filly of the Year Award, which we pretty well knew she was going to win.
“Getting towards the end of the night when they announced the Pearl Kelly Award it was a bit of a surprise.
“It’s pretty special to win – especially with all of the family there.”
Mrs Lee wasn’t the only winner in the family, so to speak, with Keayang Zahara named a finalist for Victorian Horse of the Year in addition to winning the three-year-old Trotting Filly of the Year.
Marg Lee is not the first Terang woman to bring the award home, with Elizabeth Clarke OAM receiving the award in 2003.
Mrs Clarke OAM was included in a video which Harness Racing Victoria prepared announcing the winner, which also included Mrs Lee’s son, Jason.
Mrs Clarke OAM said it was unbelievable the impact Mrs Lee has had on her community, and praised the example she’s set for others who aspire to achieve greatness.
“There’s no one more deserving,” she said.
“She’s extremely hard working, she’s articulate and she is humble.
“She’s the same in the harness racing world, and outside of it.
“Her involvement in including others within her working framework, not only family but others to introduce them in to the industry, I think is an unbelievably generous mindset.”
Jason Lee said the family could not be prouder of their matriarch.
“There’s probably a lot of others that have come through and learnt as drivers, worked in the stable or worked around mum and she loves seeing people do well and be successful,” Mr Lee said.
“I know she’ll be shocked but personally, and for the rest of the family who have been on the inside trying to keep this one on the hush, we are pretty excited and really proud that she’s been able to win this award.”
Mrs Lee said the prominence of women involved in harness racing has skyrocketed in recent years.
“It’s grown huge and the women are on level pegging with the fellas,” she said.
“There’s almost as many women as guys now, whether they’re trainers or drivers, there’s a lot of them around compared to what there was when Pearl Kelly started off.”
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