MAKYBE DIVA STAKES – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW HISTORY: Used to be the Craiglee Stakes. Renamed the Makybe Diva Stakes in 2007 to honour the three-time Melbourne Cup winner. Run over 1600m. Elevated to Group One in 2013. NOTABLE WINNERS: Light Fingers (1965), Rain Lover (1969), Dulcify (1979), Zabeel… Read More »
Chad Schofield’s return to racing on Makybe Diva Stakes day will coincide with one of the star young jockey’s best book of rides at a feature meeting. Last year’s Cox Plate winner has been sidelined for more than three weeks due to the latest careless riding suspension of his career…. Read More »
The leading jockey and trainer during the Melbourne carnival will earn themselves a significant bonus following the creation of spring racing premierships. Announced on Thursday, the premierships will be awarded to the trainer and jockey who accumulate the most points over 16 feature during of the Melbourne spring carnival. The… Read More »
Trainer Bryan Guy is hoping a drop in weight can help overcome his smart galloper Platinum State’s aversion to Doomben. Platinum State will be having his ninth start at Doomben on Saturday in the Novotel Brisbane Airport Handicap (1350m). So far he has run just three minor placings at Doomben,… Read More »
Brisbane trainer Bryan Dais is on weather watch as he prepares smart three-year-old Soldi Domani for spring carnival action. Soldi Domani will confirm a start in the Group One Caulfield Guineas on October 11 if he races well in the PFD Food Services Handicap (1350m) at Doomben on Saturday. But… Read More »
The prospect of missing a start in a Listed race has prompted connections of Late Charge to consider a much tougher Flemington assignment. Late Charge is among a field of 11 for Saturday’s Group One Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) while he is second emergency for the Listed Sofitel (1400m). A… Read More »
Top trainer Robert Heathcote had a message for all racehorse owners after his promising galloper Dream Of Slips scored at Doomben on Wednesday. Dream Of Slips made it two wins from three starts for Heathcote with his victory in the fourth race on the midweek program. “Can you put it… Read More »
A suspension threatens to rule Caulfield Cup-winning jockey Nick Hall out of the Underwood Stakes day program. Hall was banned for 11 meetings for careless riding aboard Firehouse Rock in the third race at Bendigo on Wednesday. The jockey is expected to appeal the ban which is due to start… Read More »
Leading trainer Chris Waller insists he will never underestimate the value of a midweek victory after collecting a winning double at Warwick Farm on Wednesday. Waller trained Dynamic Rock and Hollywood Bound to win successive races and while they aren’t household names in his Rosehill stable they are an integral… Read More »
Dissident is in line for a Group One windfall on the back of changes to Melbourne’s early-spring racing program. The Peter Moody-trained four-year-old is a $2.90 favourite to add Saturday’s Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington to his first-up victory in the Memsie Stakes. It is only the second year both… Read More »
Beautifully bred mare Midnight Dancer gave her stud value a timely boost when she finally broke her maiden status at Doomben on Wednesday. Starting the $2.20 favourite, Midnight Dancer was having her 15th start and did the job in style, scoring by 5-1/4 lengths in the Turner Freeman Lawyers Handicap… Read More »
The booking of leading jockey Brett Prebble for Nostradamus coupled with strong betting support points to the Hawkes Racing colt taking his place in the $1 million Golden Rose. Nostradamus was among the final 15 horses in the Golden Rose but Prebble wasn’t declared as the three-year-old’s rider for the… Read More »
Brisbane rider Tegan Harrison will seek help from the very best in her profession before she tackles the Flemington straight-six course for the first time on Saturday. Harrison will make her maiden Melbourne appearance as a senior jockey although she has had four rides at Moonee Valley as an apprentice…. Read More »
Commanding Jewel is poised to rewrite the record books by becoming the first horse to win the Let’s Elope Stakes twice. The high-profile mare has only raced once since she claimed the Group Two feature 12 months ago, finishing an eye-catching first-up third in the Cockram Stakes. Troy Corstens, who… Read More »
James McDonald’s conviction about the potential of Sarajevo remains just as firm as the footing he desperately wants for the Godolphin colt in the Golden Rose. The premier jockey is adamant Sarajevo is a benchmark runner in the Group One race for three-year-olds, provided the Rosehill track can dry out… Read More »
The Caulfield Cup has been added as a spring target for English stayer Dandino. After an overnight phone hook-up between managing owner Darren Dance from Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock and Dandino’s Newmarket-based trainer Marco Botti, it was decided the horse would travel to Melbourne in the first shipment of internationals. Connections… Read More »
Memsie Stakes winner Dissident will have 10 rivals in his bid to capture another weight-for-age Group One victory in the Makybe Diva Stakes. The Peter Moody-trained Dissident, a dominant first-up winner at Caulfield, has drawn barrier six for Saturday’s 1600m feature at Flemington. The Chris Waller-trained Boban has barrier four… Read More »
In-form Sydney trainer Joe Pride plans to be a more regular visitor to Brisbane, starting with a double-barrelled attack at Doomben on Saturday. Pride will have Gangster’s Choice in the www.BRC.com Handicap (1650m) and Diamond Oasis in the Australian Open Polo Doomben Racecourse Plate (1050m). “The prize money is going… Read More »
A strong international presence for the Melbourne spring looks assured after the first acceptances for the Caulfield Cup and Cox Plate. There are 16 internationals remaining in contention for the Caulfield Cup and 13 overseas-trained horses in Cox Plate entries after first acceptances on Tuesday. Total numbers for both races… Read More »
A wide barrier has cost Hallowed Crown his place as the equal market leader for the Golden Rose but co-trainer James Cummings is unperturbed. Bring Me The Maid retained her price of $4.60 after drawing gate six with Hallowed Crown easing slightly to $5 after coming up with 14 in… Read More »
