Fierce Impact Horse Form (Photo: Steve Hart) | Races.com.au

Makybe Diva Stakes 2020 Results: Fierce Impact Beats Russian Camelot in Cox Plate Lead-Up

Lucy Henderson September 12, 2020

Makybe Diva Stakes 2020 Results: Fierce Impact Beats Russian Camelot in Cox Plate Lead-Up

The Cox Plate odds have firmed on both Fierce Impact and runner-up Russian Camelot following their eye-catching quinella in the Makybe Diva Stakes 2020 results at Flemington on Saturday.  

Fierce Impact Horse Form (Photo: Steve Hart) | Races.com.au

Fierce Impact (pictured winning the Kennedy Cantala) was too good for Russian Camelot in the 2020 Makybe Diva Stakes results. Photo Credit: Steve Hart.

The punters had it right as the best two in betting ran one-two in a dramatic edition of the Group 1 $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) this season.

One-time favourite, Danny O’Brien’s returning SA Derby winner Russian Camelot had to be vetted pre-race after being fractious in the gates, but was passed fit to run and jumped cleanly.

Then, after only the first 400m, the defending champion Gatting sadly went amiss and was pulled out of the race.

Up front staying out of trouble was Harlem who led the field around from Dalasan, while jockey Mark Zahra had Fierce Impact positioned perfectly in third just off the pace.

From the good gate (5) and getting conditions to suit, the Matthew Smith-trained Fierce Impact got the perfect run in transit as the Deep Impact entire looked to improve on his first-up third in Sydney’s Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m).

Russian Camelot meanwhile didn’t enjoy the same luck, jockey Damien Oliver caught four-wide facing the breeze throughout on the talented Camelot four-year-old.

With 450m to go into the straight, Russian Camelot came wide to give chase and briefly grabbed the lead.

Fierce Impact ($4) however had the turn of foot to pull clear and charge home, holding off Russian Camelot ($4.60) who rallied back hard against the eventual winner losing no admires in his superb first-up second.

Lindsay Park’s $31 outsider So Si Bon rounded out the Makybe Diva Stakes trifecta, while former Caulfield Cup favourite Master Of Wine ($10) also finished off nicely looking back on track for his Spring Cups bid.

A brave performance from Fierce Impact at weight-for-age against a class field combined with a nice training effort from Smith and a beautifully patient ride from Zahra who celebrated his 17th Group 1 success.

The Makybe Diva Stakes result meanwhile was the third career Group 1 for Fierce Impact following his Toorak Handicap – Cantala Stakes double last spring.

It is now onwards and upwards into the Group 1 $5 million Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 24 where a scintillating rematch between Fierce Impact and Russian Camelot is set.

Russian Camelot has firmed in from $9 to $6.50 as the clear favourite in all-in Cox Plate betting at race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au.

Fierce Impact has also had his futures Cox Plate price slashed in from $34 to $14 to take out the Australasian weight-for-age championship next month.

Click here for the full 2020 Cox Plate betting markets courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au.

2020 Makybe Diva Stakes Results

Colour Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Penalty Starting Price
1 4 FIERCE IMPACT (JPN) Matthew Smith Mark Zahra 5 59kg $4F
2 13 RUSSIAN CAMELOT (IRE) Danny O’Brien Damien Oliver 0.2L 14 57.5kg $4.60
3 8 SO SI BON Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes Daniel Stackhouse 1.7L 16 59kg $31
4 9 MASTER OF WINE (GER) Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes Michael Rodd 1.8L 10 59kg $10
5 11 DALASAN Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas Jordan Childs 1.9L 8 58.5kg $15
6 3 HARLEM (GB) Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes Jamie Mott 2.65L 6 59kg $41
7 10 WARNING Anthony & Sam Freedman Billy Egan 3.15L 9 58.5kg $91
8 14 PERFECT JEWEL Grant & Alana Williams William Pike 3.25L 2 57kg $4.80
9 1 VOW AND DECLARE Danny O’Brien Craig Williams 4.75L 11 59kg $31
10 7 KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) Chris Waller Jye McNeil 4.95L 15 59kg $13
11 6 LEVENDI Peter Gelagotis Jason Maskiell 5.15L 1 59kg $151
12 15 PRINCESS JENNI (NZ) David Brideoake Ethan Brown 6.15L 12 57kg $41
13 2 GAILO CHOP (FR) Matthew Williams John Allen 7.15L 3 59kg $71
14 12 QUICK THINKER Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman Michael Dee 8.4L 13 58.5kg $61
15 16 MIAMI BOUND (NZ) Danny O’Brien Ben Melham 58.4L 7 56.5kg $31
FF 5 GATTING Peter G Moody Luke Nolen 4 59kg $31

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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