Makybe Diva Stakes Race Information

The Makybe Diva Stakes is a 1600 metre weight-for-age race for horses three-years-old and over run by the Victoria Racing Club. It is held in early September at Flemington racecourse.

  • Race Type: Group 1
  • Distance: 1600 metres
  • Conditions: Weight-for-age, 3YO & upwards
  • Track: Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria
  • Prizemoney: $750,000
  • Date: Saturday 14 September 2024

Makybe Diva Stakes Race History

The Makybe Diva Stakes, previously called the Craiglee Stakes, was first held over 10 furlongs (about 2000 metres) in 1948 and was won by a horse called Lungi. The following year it was won by Comic Court who went on to win the 1950 Melbourne Cup. In 1965 the race was reduced to 1600m and it became a Group 2 race. In 2007 it was renamed the Makybe Diva Stakes, and in 2013 it became a Group 1 race.

Lead-up races are the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (formerly called the JJ Liston Stakes) held in mid-August and the Memsie Stakes held one week earlier. Horses that perform well in this race often go on to run in the Underwood Stakes. In recent years the favourite has rarely won this race, and mares do not have a very good strike rate.

Useful Facts

Last mare to win: Southern Speed (2012)

Last 3YO to win: C&G Acramitis  (1954)   is he only 3YO to have won.

Multiple winners: Mr Brightside (2023 & 2024); Sailor’s Guide (1956 & 1957); Chicquita (1950 & 1951).

Fastest time (1600m): Dual Choice (1971) 1:31:9

Interesting trivia:

Previous winners of the Makybe Diva Stakes

This is a tough race to win and only three horses have won it more than once – Mr Brightside in 2023 and 2024, Sailor’s Guide in 1956 and 1957 and Chicquita in 1950 and 1951. The only three-year-old to win was Acramitis in 1954. Past Makybe Diva Stakes winners include Melbourne Cup winners, Cox Plate winners, Caulfield Cup winners and Newmarket Handicap winners.

Zabeel won in 1990 and has since sired well over 100 individual stakeswinners and his bloodlines can be found in the fields of every important staying race in Australia. Other notable winners include Northerly, Sky Heights, Rose of Kingston, Ming Dynasty, Gay Icarus, Rain Lover, Tobin Bronze and Light Fingers. Lee Freedman has trained most winners with four, and jockeys Craig Williams has had 4 winners.

Year Winner Second Third
2024 Mr Brightside Pride Of Jenni Antino
2023 Mr Brightside Alligator Blood Osipenko
2022 I’m Thunderstruck Alligator Blood Mo’unga
2021 Incentivise Mo’unga Sir Dragonet
2020 Fierce Impact Russian Camelot So Si Bon
2019 Gatting Mystic Journey Mr Quickie
2018 Grunt Kings Will Dream Jon Snow
2017 Humidor (NZ) Hartnell Black Heart Bart
2016 Palentino Black Heart Bart He Or She
2015 Fawkner Rising Romance (NZ) Entirely Platinum (NZ)
2014 Dissident Fawkner Puissance De Lune(IRE)
2013 Foreteller (GB) Puissance De Lune(IRE) Moudre
2012 Southern Speed Manighar Moudre
2011 Littorio Glass Harmonium Midas Touch
2010 Shocking Heart Of Dreams Vigor
2009 Vigor Typhoon Tracy Master O’Reilly
2008 Weekend Hussler Zarita Littorio
2007 Marasco Apache Cat Zipping
2006 Pompeii Ruler Sphenophyta (NZ) Zipping
2005 Confectioner Free At Last Our Smoking Joe
2004 Hugs Dancer (FR) Elvstroem Zagalia
2003 Pentastic Walk On Air Mummify
2002 Northerly Le Zagaletta Silver Baron
2001 Native Jazz (NZ) Aka Bilk Universal Prince
2000 Go Flash Go Oliver Twist Showella
1999 Sky Heights Labeel What Can I Say
1998 Umrum Darazari Our Unicorn
1997 Marble Halls Count Chivas Istidaad
1996 Saleous Sir Boom Alcove
1995 Jeune Mahogany Storm
1994 Mahogany State Taj Jeune
1993 Mannerism Air Seattle Our Pompeii
1992 Star Of The Realm Subzero Grooming
1991 Durbridge Prince Salieri Sydeston
1990 Zabeel Gopak Sydeston

From the archives:

Makybe Diva Stakes Preview & Tips 2018

Track: Good   Weather: Overcast

There is a field of 12 for the $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes. One is resuming from a spell, six are second-up, three are having their third run back from a spell and two have had 3 runs already. Six of them had their last start in the Memsie Stakes. The early favourite is Kementari who ran on strongly for a close 2nd in the Memsie. Second favourite is Humidor who won this race last year and won the Memsie last start. Third favourite is Kings Will Dream who ran 3rd in the Memsie after 4th in the PB Lawrence.

Happy Clapper resumed for 7th in the Memsie and goes well second-up. Comin’ Through resumed with a win in the Group 2 Tramway Stakes over 1400m at Randwick. Grunt didn’t have the best of runs when 8th in the Memsie, and should improve from that. Jon Snow ran 4th in a Group 1 race in New Zealand last start. Black Hart Bart was 6th in the Memsie and was 3rd in this race last year and 2nd in 2016. All other runners are currently at 33 to 1 or longer.

The following are the top 4 selections from our tipster panel for this years race.

Jo’s Tips
11 Kementari
3 Humidor
10 Kings Will Dream
6 Comin’ Through