The Makybe Diva Stakes is a weight for age Group 1 race over 1600m at Flemington racecourse in Victoria and in 2020 will be held on Saturday, September 12.
It is the first Group 1 of spring and has a total prize pool of $750,000. In 2019 the Makybe Diva Stakes was won by the Darren McAuliffe-trained Gatting. Despite opening at $101 in the betting, the gelding took home a 0.75L win over heavily-backed favourite Mystic Journey, with Jamie Kah on board. Mr Quickie finished third, while Hartnell rounded out the top four.
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The Makybe Diva Stakes is the highlight race of what is set to be a big day of racing across the country. Also at Flemington are the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality and Let’s Elope Stakes. Meanwhile, at Rosehill there are three Groups 2, the Theo Marks Stakes, the Run To The Rose and the Sheraco Stakes.
The race was originally known as the Craiglee Stakes, which took its name from the home of former Victorian Racing Club chairman Wilfred Henry Johnston. However, from 2007 onwards the race has been named after legendary horse Makybe Diva, who famously won three Melbourne Cups in a row in the mid-2000s.
In 1948 Lungi won the very first Makybe Diva Stakes (then the Craiglee Stakes), and since then a number of well-known horses have claimed victory in the famous race. They include Melbourne Cup winners Comic Court, Light Fingers, Rain Lover, Jeune and Shocking, along with the likes of Northerly, Fawkner, and Humidor.
Only two horses have ever won the Makybe Diva Stakes in back-to-back years. Chicquita claimed victory in 1950 and 1951, while Sailor’s Guide did it later that decade, winning in 1956 and 1957.
2019 winner Gatting took home victory over the 1600m at Flemington in an impressive 1:33.97. It is, in fact, the fastest time in the race over the past 20 years and was less than a second off Scenic Peak’s course record over 1600m, which is 1:33.490.
The very definition of a blow out!
The 2019 Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes goes to Gatting at $101. @jamieleekah07 https://t.co/q2nKcmwc4m pic.twitter.com/6wFE3p2ldV
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 14, 2019
Makybe Diva Stakes Field
Due to the Makybe Diva Stakes being a Group 1 race held early in the Spring Racing Carnival it normally features excellent fields with quality horses looking to continue on to even better races. Nominations for the race close on Monday, September 7, with final acceptances being announced on Wednesday, September 9.
Find the 2020 Makybe Diva Stakes Field here:
No | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Barrier | Weight | Hcp Rating |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | VOW AND DECLARE | Danny O'Brien | Craig Williams | 11 | 59kg | 113 |
2 | GAILO CHOP (FR) | Matthew Williams | John Allen | 3 | 59kg | 105 |
3 | HARLEM (GB) | Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes | Jamie Mott | 6 | 59kg | 107 |
4 | FIERCE IMPACT (JPN) | Matthew Smith | Mark Zahra | 5 | 59kg | 112 |
5 | GATTING | Peter G Moody | Luke Nolen | 4 | 59kg | 107 |
6 | LEVENDI | Peter Gelagotis | Jason Maskiell | 1 | 59kg | 105 |
7 | KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) | Chris Waller | Jye McNeil | 15 | 59kg | 109 |
8 | SO SI BON | Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes | Daniel Stackhouse | 16 | 59kg | 106 |
9 | MASTER OF WINE (GER) | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Michael Rodd | 10 | 59kg | 106 |
10 | WARNING | Anthony & Sam Freedman | Billy Egan | 9 | 58.5kg | 103 |
11 | DALASAN | Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas | Jordan Childs | 8 | 58.5kg | 103 |
12 | QUICK THINKER | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | Michael Dee | 13 | 58.5kg | 106 |
13 | RUSSIAN CAMELOT (IRE) | Danny O'Brien | Damien Oliver | 14 | 57.5kg | 105 |
14 | PERFECT JEWEL | Grant & Alana Williams | William Pike | 2 | 57kg | 106 |
15 | PRINCESS JENNI (NZ) | David Brideoake | Ethan Brown | 12 | 57kg | 102 |
16 | MIAMI BOUND (NZ) | Danny O'Brien | Ben Melham | 7 | 56.5kg | 103 |
Makybe Diva Stakes Betting
If recent history shows us anything, the Makybe Diva Stakes can be a very difficult betting race, but if you can find the winner, it is also very fruitful. In 2019, Gatting won at a starting price of $101, and he was yet another in a string of outsiders winning the race. Before Gatting, Grunt ($12), Humidor ($17) and Palentino ($9) all won at big starting prices, rewarding those punters who backed them in a big way.
Makybe Diva Stakes Results
YEAR | WINNER | JOCKEY | TRAINER | RACE TIME |
---|---|---|---|---|
2020 | Fierce Impact | Mark Zahra | Matthew Smith | 1:36.33 |
2019 | Gatting | Jamie Kah | Darren McAuliffe | 1:33.97 |
2018 | Grunt | Damien Oliver | Mick Price | 1:34.91 |
2017 | Humidor | Damian Lane | Darren Weir | 1:35.35 |
2016 | Palentino | Mark Zahra | Darren Weir | 1:36.26 |
As mentioned, Gatting took home the 2019 Makybe Diva Stakes, shocking almost everyone considering his starting price of $101. Mystic Journey finished second and Mr Quickie rounded out the placings.
Check out the full list of results from 2019 below:
PLACE | HORSE | TRAINER | JOCKEY | SP |
1 | Gatting | Darren McAuliffe | Jamie Kah | $101 |
2 | Mystic Journey | Adam Trinder | Anthony Darmanin | $2.05 |
3 | Mr Quickie | Phillip Stokes | John Allen | $31 |
4 | Hartnell | James Cummings | Craig Williams | $10 |
5 | Scales of Justice | Lindsey Smith | Dean Yendall | $4 |
6 | Fifty Stars | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Ben Allen | $26 |
7 | Rostropovich | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Dwayne Dunn | $26 |
8 | Kings Will Dream | Chris Waller | Mark Zahra | $13 |
9 | Night’s Watch | Chris Waller | Damien Oliver | $71 |
10 | Humidor | Ciaron Maher & David Eustace | Damian Lane | $31 |
11 | Oohood | Tony & Calvin McEvoy | Michael Dee | $51 |
12 | Yucatan | Liam Howley | Ben Melham | $17 |
13 | Gailo Chop | Matthew Williams | Ms Linda Meech | $51 |
14 | Sound | Michael Moroney | Jamie Mott | $201 |
15 | Qafila | David & B Hayes & T Dabernig | Luke Nolen | $41 |