MAKYBE DIVA

Makybe Diva (foaled 1999 in Great Britain) is the first Thoroughbred to win the prestigious Melbourne Cup three times: in 2003 and 2004 and again in 2005 when she also won the Cox Plate.
Sired by Desert King to dam Tugela, Makybe Diva is the highest stakes-earner in Australasian horse-racing history, with winnings of AU$14,526,685 when she retired on 1 November 2005.

Makybe Diva is one of only five horses to have won the Cup more than once in the 145 year history of the event. The others are Archer in 1861 and 1862, Peter Pan in 1932 and 1934, Rain Lover in 1968 and 1969 and Think Big in 1974 and 1975.

Makybe Diva is owned by South Australian tuna fisherman Tony Santic, who named her after the first two letters in five of his employees' names (Maureen, Kylie, Belinda, Diane and Vanessa). The nature of her performances is emphasised by the fact that she is the only mare among the list of multiple winners, and is among only 11 mares, and three fillies to have won the cup in its history.

Originally trained by David Hall, Makybe Diva made her racetrack debut in July 2002 as a three-year-old in a maiden race at Benalla in Victoria, and finished fourth. At her next start in August, as a four-year-old, Makybe Diva won her maiden race before moving through the classes, winning two events in a row. She had her first metropolitan start when winning a fillies and mares handicap over 2,000 meters (6,562 ft) at Flemington. She followed with wins over the fields in the Listed Werribee Cup and Group 2 VRC Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Makybe Diva returned briefly in the autumn for two showings over short distance races. But owner Tony Santic and trainer David Hall had other plans in mind for the spring.

Makybe Diva resumed racing in the spring over 1,400 meters (4,593 ft), but while being reasonably competitive, she did not win any major races. Second up at her next start in the Group 3 Stock Stakes she came from behind to finish fourth, beaten by just over two lengths. She then started 5-1 equal favourite in the Group 2 Turnbull Stakes, where she again began in the back of the field, before finishing fourth, beaten by only one length.

After finishing as a 14-1 outsider in the Caulfield Cup, she began her partnership with Sydney jockey Glen Boss. Coming from near last with 800 meters (2,625 ft) to go in the 2,400 meters (7,874 ft) race, she finished fourth behind the Lee Freedman trained Mummify. The first Tuesday in November 2003 was her first Melbourne Cup victory.[1] Starting as an $8 second favourite, Makybe Diva raced at the back of the field until the finishing straight, where jockey Boss picked his way through the field to win by one and a half lengths.

In the autumn of 2004, she resumed over 1,400 meters with 59.5 kilograms (131 lb), followed by a third place finish in the Group 3 Carlyon Cup. Following this, she was blocked when making a winning run in the Australian Cup before being taken to Sydney, where she placed third in the Ranvet Stakes and The BMW Stakes, both Group 1 races. The Group 1 Sydney Cup over 3,200 meters (10,499 ft) was to be her final run for the campaign. Sent out as a $3.50 second favourite, she began off the pace, but charged home to record a win by half a length, becoming the first mare to ever win the Sydney Cup / Melbourne Cup double in the same season, and only the fourth horse to have accomplished the double win.

After the 2003-2004 season, trainer David Hall left to train in Hong Kong, and Makybe Diva was transferred to trainer Lee Freedman, generally regarded as one of Australia's top trainers.

Her campaign in the spring of 2004, was aimed at winning the Melbourne Cup for a second time. It followed the pattern of her previous cup winning campaign, even though she appeared to be racing better than before. A close second in the Group 2 John F Feehan Stakes over 1,600 meters (5,249 ft) at Moonee Valley, showed her competitiveness in shorter races. In the 2004 Caulfield Cup Makybe Diva drew barrier 18 and settled at the back of the field. She charged home late to be narrowly defeated by arch rival Elvstroem who controlled the race from the outset leading all the way.

Makybe Diva was sent out a $3.60 favourite, and won the 2004 Melbourne Cup. In driving rain, the mare defeated a field featuring multiple Irish St. Leger winner Vinnie Roe, Caulfield Cup winners Mummify and Elvstroem, Mamool from the Godolphin stable, as well as the 2002 Melbourne Cup winner Media Puzzle.

Resuming racing in February, Makybe Diva put in close finishes behind Elvstroem in both the C F Orr Stakes and St George Stakes, at Caulfield. On March 12, she won the Australian Cup, a weight for age event over 2,000 meters (6,562 ft), and in the process broke the Australian record and setting an unofficial world record for 2,000 meters (6,562 ft) on turf. She proceeded to win Sydney's most important WFA race, The BMW Stakes, with a last-to-first burst. In April and May, she raced in Japan, where she failed in two starts, the latter of which was over 3,200 meters (10,499 ft) in the Group One Tenno Sho (Emperor's Cup).

Makybe Diva was named Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for the 2004/05 season. Along with this she was also named Australian Champion Stayer and Australian Champion Filly and Mare.

A three quarter brother to Makybe Diva, by Redoute's Choice, was sold in April 2005 for an Australian record price of $2.5 million. Subsequently named Musket, the colt won his debut at Canterbury in August 2006.

Resuming racing in August 2005, Makybe Diva won the Group 2 Memsie Stakes first up, before being beaten by a nose in the Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley. Two weeks later, with a run down the outside of the field Makybe Diva won the Turnbull Stakes over 2000 m at Flemington. The mare further enhanced her reputation despite being eight horses wide on the home turn, with a comfortable victory in the 2005 Cox Plate subsequently beating 2006 winner Fields Of Omagh.

On 1 November 2005, Makybe Diva created history in winning a record third Melbourne Cup. Immediately after the race trainer Lee Freedman said;
“ Go find the smallest child on this course, and there will be the only example of a person who will live long enough to see that again. ”

Makybe Diva carried 58 kg during the record third Melbourne Cup, 2.5 kg above the standard weight-for-age scale. The last horse to carry more than weight-for-age and win was Rain Lover, who was 2 kg over when he won his second cup in 1969, with 60.5 kg. Makybe Diva, who broke her own weight-carrying record for a mare of 55.5 kg, which she set in 2004, was the highest-weighted winner of the cup since Think Big won his second Melbourne Cup with 58.5 kg in 1975. During the presentation of the Melbourne Cup, owner Tony Santic announced that Makybe Diva would "retire from racing as of today".

At the end of the 2005 - 2006 season Makybe Diva was named Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year for the second time, becoming just the third horse to win that accolade more than once. She was also named Australian Champion Stayer, winning this award for the third consecutive year as well as Australian Champion Middle Distance Racehorse.