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Chris Waller‘s Australian Racehorse of the Year, Via Sistina, is nearing odds-on favouritism to collect her incredible 11th Group 1 trophy when she faces just five rivals in a diminutive but class 2025 Makybe Diva Stakes field at Flemington on Saturday.

A traditional lead-up to the Ladbrokes Cox Plate on October 25, a race Via Sistina blitzed by eight lengths last spring, the Group 1 $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) has been won by many of Australian racing’s best horses over the years including the likes of Mr Brightside (2023), Incentivise (2021), Shocking (2010), Weekend Hussler (2008), Northerly (2002), Jeune (1995), Zabeel (1990), and Rose Of Kingston (1982) in recent history.

This weekend all the money in Makybe Diva Stakes betting at Ladbrokes.com.au on the six-horse field is for eight-year-old Fastnet Rock mare Via Sistina following her excellent return when winning the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) in Sydney for the second year running.

She is out to atone for her disappointing and distant fifth behind Mr Brightside at the same stage of her prep in last year’s Makybe Diva results when hampered by a Heavy (9) track.

Via has won both her other Flemington assignments however taking out the Turnbull Stakes and Champions Stakes at the track last spring.

Despite her age she still looks to be going from strength to strength and jumps from barrier 2 with James McDonald aboard the current $2 top fancy.

Waller has won the Makybe Diva Stakes just once prior back in 2013 with Foreteller and also saddles-up the main danger to the hot favourite on the weekend with Aeliana paying $3.50 to go one better than her eye-catching second in the Winx Stakes.

Winner of the Australian Derby when beating the boys by five lengths to close out her excellent three-year-old season, the now four-year-old daughter of Castelvecchio was a little slow to start first-up but still impressed jockey Jason Collett.

“Great return. A bit fresh and tardy out of the gates. Didn’t help but she challenged the very good winner,” he said.

Fitter for the run and better suited to the mile, Aeliana will likely be breathing down Via’s neck again and she jumps from gate 5 with Damain Lane – who rode her to victory in the Derby – coming aboard for the ride.

Two other Makybe Diva Stakes contenders are currently under $10 for the win with the dual defending champion Mr Brightside ($5.50) and Tony Gollan‘s classy Brisbane galloper Antino ($7.50).

Last season the Team Hayes trained Mr Brightside joined Chicquita (1950-51) and Sailor’s Guide (1956-57) as the race’s only two-time champions, and he is chasing an historical third success this weekend.

The 45-start veteran is at one of his pet tracks and distances (10:4-2-1) second-up on Saturday with the Bullbars eight-year-old having caught the eye when second in the Memsie upon his return.

Craig Williams continues associations with the $17.5 million earner this weekend and he expects improvement having given the galloper plenty of praise following the Memsie.

“My horse was great, and we know we’ve got more wriggle room with him which is very exciting going into the spring,” he said.

Antino, winner of the winter’s Doomben Cup, also kicked off his prep in the Memsie running 4.4 lengths back fifth and will have Blake Shinn in the saddle again for the Makybe Diva.

Tom Kitten, scratched at the gates in the Memsie, makes his delayed return to racing with the reigning All-Star Mile champ having his first official start for Anthony & Sam Freedman as a value $11 contender.

The rank outsider at 100/1 is Kiwi raider Mark Twain for Roger James & Robert Wellwood with the six-year-old son of Shocking having had just the one run since winning the 2024 Roy Higgins at HQ.

The 2025 Makybe Diva Stakes is set to run as Flemington Race 8 at 4:20pm (AEST) on Saturday.

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