Horse Racing

Peter Moody’s promising mare Lights Of Heaven will take her first look at the famous Flemington track ahead of her bid to win the 2011 Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday of November, the early Melbourne Cup betting favourite nominated for this Saturday’s $300,000 Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).

Lights Of Heaven makes her Flemington race debut this weekend ahead of the 2011 Melbourne Cup

Zabeel four-year-old Lights Of Heaven stormed to the top of the Luxbet futures odds for the $6 million Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) by winning her opening four race starts successfully from January – March this year.

Her last win came at elite level when Lights Of Heaven beat home subsequent AJC Oaks champion Absolutely by an empathic three lengths in the Group 1 Schweppes Oaks (2008m) at Morphettville on March 26.

Lights Of Heaven made her much-awaited new-season debut on August 13, confirming her favouritism for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups with an impressive second to 2011 Cox Plate top elect Whobegotyou in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.

Whobegotyou is the only horse at single figure odds to win the $3 million Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 22 after their brave third behind likely non-acceptor So You Think and the since retired Zipping in the famous weight-for-age feature last spring.

After coming within a quarter of length of Whobegotyou in the Lawrence Stakes, Lights Of Heaven proved her Cups potential in the eyes of Australia’s punters.

She now sits at the top of Caulfield Cup 2011 odds at Luxbet paying $7 and is also the $10 co-favourite with Shamrocker to become this year’s Melbourne Cup winner.

This Saturday Lights Of Heaven will get another chance to prove her Melbourne Cup worth when she contests the Makybe Diva Stakes, a race won last year by former Melbourne Cup hero Shocking.

The 2011 Makybe Diva Stakes nominations attracted 19 classy gallopers.

Other notable entries include Michael Moroney’s progressive import Glass Harmonium, Murray Baker’s Kiwi stayer Harris Tweed, the Gai Waterhouse-trained Once Were Wild, Western Australian sensation Playing God and last year’s Melbourne Cup runner-up Maluckyday who is also nominated for the $175,000 Group 2 Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) at Randwick on Saturday.

The final field for the 2011 Makybe Diva Stakes and six other black-type features on the Flemington race card this Saturday will be released on Wednesday and published here at Races.com.au.

Want to back the Flemington race winners at the best odds this weekend? Visit Luxbet and open an account quoting the promotional code BONUSBET and you will not only get access to the hottest futures odds on the upcoming Group One races, but you will also get your first deposit matched dollar for dollar as a bonus bet valued up to $400!

2011 Makybe Diva Stakes Nominations