A boilover result in Saturday’s $300,000 Group 2 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington has seen fairy-tale winner Littorio earn a ballot exemption into the 2011 Caulfield Cup, upsetting the ante-post odds on the Melbourne Spring Carnival features.
Nigel Blackiston’s Bellotto seven-year-old Littorio resumed after…
The Makybe Diva Stakes is the first mile stakes race held during the Victorian racing season. Raced at Flemington in September, the 1600m weight-for-age event attracts a great group of middle distance and staying horses. Offering half a million dollars in prize money, the Group 2 event is definitely one of the more exciting Group 2 races offered in Australia.
The Makybe Diva Stakes, named after the legendary three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva, is the perfect lead-up race to the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) held at Caulfield two weeks later and the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) held at Flemington a month later.
| Makybe Diva Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | September |
| Track: | Flemington Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1600m |
| Race Type: | Weight-For-Age |
| Status: | Group 2 |
| Prize Money: | $502,000 |
First run in 1948 and won by Lungi, the Makybe Diva Stakes was originally titled the Craiglee Stakes until 2007. Raced over a 10 Furlong (2000m) track until 1964, the new distance ensures that all horses get a good run on the straight of Flemington. Double winners of the event include Chicquita in 1950-51 and Sailor’s Guide in 1956-57.
After his win in 2002, Northerly also went on to win the WS Cox Plate and Sky Heights managed to win the Caulfield Cup and Craiglee Stakes double in 1999. The fastest winning time was recorded by Jeune in 1995 with 1 minute 35 seconds. The slowest time was recorded by Fine Offer in 1985 with 1 minute 44.3 seconds.
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Shocking | 1 minute 41.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Heart Of Dreams | ||
| 3rd | Vigor | ||
| 2009 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Vigor | 1 minute 35.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Typhoon Tracy | ||
| 3rd | Master O’Reilly | ||
| 2008 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Weekend Hussler | 1 minute 38.6 seconds |
| 2nd | Zarita | ||
| 3rd | Littorio | ||
| 2007 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Marasco | 1 minute 36.7 seconds |
| 2nd | Apache Cat | ||
| 3rd | Zipping | ||
| 2006 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Pompeii Ruler | 1 minute 38.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Sphenophyta | ||
| 3rd | Zipping | ||
| 2005 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Confectioner | 1 minute 35.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Free At Last | ||
| 3rd | Our Smoking Joe | ||
| 2004 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Hugs Dancer | 1 minute 38.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Elvstoem | ||
| 3rd | Zagalia | ||
| 2003 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Pentastic | 1 minute 37.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Walk On Air | ||
| 3rd | Mummify | ||
| 2002 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Northerly | 1 minute 37.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Le Zagaletta | ||
| 3rd | Silver Baron | ||
| 2001 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Native Jazz | 1 minute 37.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Aka Bilk | ||
| 3rd | Universal Prince | ||
| 2000 Makybe Diva Stakes |
1st | Go Flash Go | 1 minute 42.1 seconds |
| 2nd | Oliver Twist | ||
| 3rd | Showella | ||
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