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.
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.