Makybe Diva Stakes 2024

Ladbrokes Tip: Older milers have a great record in the Makybe Diva Stakes in the past decade

The Makybe Diva Stakes is the opening Group 1 mile race of the annual Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and takes place on a Saturday in early – mid September at the famous Flemington Racecourse.

Ill-fated 2022 Makybe Diva Stakes winner I’m Thunderstruck. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

The only elite level race at the meeting the weight-for-age showdown is currently $750,000 and often attracts horses that ran in the season’s first Group 1, the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield a fortnight before.

The latest horses to complete the Memsie Stakes – Makybe Diva Stakes double – a popular early spring racing bet with the punters – are Dissident (2014) and Mr Brightside (2023). 

Inaugurated in 1948 when Lungi won, Cosmic Court (1949) won the second edition of the Makybe Diva Stakes when it was known as the Craiglee Stakes. It was renamed in honour of superstar mare and three time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva in 2007 and has held Group 1 status since 2013.

Other notable Makybe Diva Stakes winners over the years include Mr Brightside (2023), Incentivise (2021), Shocking (2010), Weekend Hussler (2008), Northerly (2002), Jeune (1995), Zabeel (1990), and Rose Of Kingston (1982).

Mr Brightside became the first two-time Makybe Diva Stakes winner since Sailor’s Guide (1956-57) when he successfully defended his title in 2024. 

The latest edition of the Makybe Diva Stakes ran on Saturday September 14, 2024 as the second Group 1 race of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and was won in a thriller by now seven-time elite level champion and the race’s defending hero Mr Brightside ($3.50). 

2024 Makybe Diva Stakes Results

The official Makybe Diva Stakes 2024 Results & Finishing Order will be available below once the race is run and won on Saturday September 14, 2024.

• 1st: #1 Mr Brightside
• 2nd: #6 Pride Of Jenni
• 3rd: #4 Antino

Mr Brightside ($3.50) entered the history books improving on his lead-up Memsie Stakes second to run down Ciaron Maher’s brave front-running mare Pride Of Jenni to go back-to-back with a successful title defence in the 2024 Makybe Diva Stakes results.

2024 Makybe Diva Stakes Odds

The latest Makybe Diva Stakes 2024 betting odds and links to our Group 1 spring racing markets will be available here once open.

Makybe Diva Stakes Race Info

• Date: Saturday September 14, 2024
• Track: Flemington Racecourse
• Distance: 1600m
• Conditions: Weight-for-age
• Status: Group 1
• Prize Money: $750,000
• First Run: 1948

Makybe Diva Stakes Betting

Makybe Diva Stakes betting markets usually have horses that come via the Memsie Stakes two weeks earlier at the top of the odds with Dissident (2014) followed by Mr Brightside (2023) nearly a decade later the latest gallopers to complete the double.

Mr Brightside also won the 2024 Makybe Diva Stakes off a lead-up second in that year’s Memsie Stakes results. 

The other horse to win both the Memsie Stakes and Makybe Diva Stakes prior to 2014 was Weekend Hussler (2008).

I’m Thunderstruck (2nd in 2022) was the last non-winning Memsie Stakes graduate to back-up and win the Makybe Diva Stakes.

Favourites have a poor recent record with just five saluting in the past 13 years with the aforementioned Dissident, Weekend Hussler, Fierce Impact ($4 in 2020), the ill-fated I’m Thunderstruck ($2.60 in 2022), and most recently the odds-on pick Mr Brightside ($1.85 in 2023).

Mr Brightside jumped at $3.50 winning his second Makybe Diva Stakes in 2024 with that year’s favourite, Via Sistina ($2.60), running a disappointing fifth over six lengths beaten. 

There has been plenty of upsets in the meantime including 40/1 shot Littorio getting the job done in 2011 so looking further down the Makybe Diva Stakes odds for a value bet is always worth doing.

The Makybe Diva Stakes winner at the longest odds in recent history was 2019 champ Gatting who saluted at 100-1 defeating the hot favourite Mystic Journey.

Makybe Diva Stakes Field

The Makybe Diva Stakes race field has a capacity of 16 starters and was last run at that maximum number in 2010 when Shocking beat home his 15 rivals.

Final Makybe Diva Stakes acceptances are taken on the Wednesday before the race runs that Saturday and the last time the Makybe Diva Stakes field ran with under 10 starters was in 2023 when Mr Brightside defeated just six rivals.

Mr Brightside won the 2024 against seven rivals in another small Makybe Diva Stakes field that lacked numbers but not class. 

Makybe Diva Stakes winner Dissident (2014). Photo Credit: Race Horse Photos Australia.

Horses may come into the Makybe Diva Stakes field on the back of a first-up run in the Memsie Stakes, or many stayers kick off their spring bids in the race on way to longer distance features at the carnival including Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) a fortnight later.

Another nice next-up option for horses out of the Makybe Diva Stakes field is Flemington’s Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m). Incentivise (2021) was the last horse to complete the Makybe Diva Stakes – Turnbull Stakes double.

Incentivise also went on to win that year’s Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) before his second behind champion mare Verry Elleegant in the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) over the two miles.

2024 Makybe Diva Stakes Field

The official Makybe Diva Stakes 2024 Final Field & Barriers will be published in full below once acceptances for the Group 1 Flemington feature close the Wednesday of race week.

Eight horses make-up the 2024 Makybe Diva Stakes field including the defending champion Mr Brightside, Pride Of Jenni out to atone for her flat run first-up, and Chris Waller’s favourite Via Sistina coming off a Group 1 Winx win in Sydney. 

2024 Makybe Diva Stakes Nominations

2023 Makybe Diva Stakes winner Mr Brightside.

The Makybe Diva Stakes Nominations for 2024 close on the Monday of race week with the full list of early entries to be made available below.

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Makybe Diva Stakes Tips

Makybe Diva Stakes tips often predict an upset result with double-figure runners boasting a good record in the race over the past decade or so. Horses that ran well in their lead-up races also tend to dominate Group 1 spring racing predictions as there have been a number of last start winners to take out the race in recent years most recently Mr Brightside (2023).

Single-digit barriers have produced 10 Makybe Diva Stakes winners from 2012 -2024 most recently Mr Brightside (barrier 4 in 2024), but tipping isn’t led by gate positions as in recent years Littorio (14 in 2011) and Vigor (11 in 2009) have overcome wide barriers to salute in the feature, as did Vega Magic (10 in 2017).

Vega Magic went on to finish runner-up to Winx in the 2017 Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) so a good Makybe Diva Stakes tip is to watch for the best out of the mile feature in markets for Cox Plate at The Valley in late October.

The 2022 Makybe Diva Stakes winner I’m Thunderstruck also went on to finish runner-up in that spring’s Cox Plate results.

2024 Makybe Diva Stakes Tips

Our Ladbrokes’ insider Makybe Diva Stakes 2024 betting tips will be detailed below the week of the race so stay tuned to see what milers and stayers to back and sack in the Flemington Group 1 race this season.

• To Win: #8 Via Sistina ($2.10 at time of publish) – BET NOW

Another cracking Group 1 field of genuine Cox Plate contenders and would love to find a bit of value but cannot go past the deserving favourite. Chris Waller’s now three-time Group 1 winning mare secured her second Australian elite level trophy first-up with a narrow but convincing win in the Winx Stakes in Sydney over 1400m. She’s fitter now and better suited to a mile ready for her first Melbourne assignment. If she handles Flemington she can handle this field from the inside alley with J Mac in the saddle. 

Makybe Diva Stakes Form Guide

The Makybe Diva Stakes form guide lists basic info like the saddlecloth numbers, barriers, jockeys and trainers of all the horses lining up in the field.

Jockey Craig Williams has won five editions of the race aboard the Mr Brightside (2023 & 2024), Littorio (2011), Adelaide mare Southern Speed (2012) and Confectioner (2005) so looking for the horse he rides in the form guide could be a nice bet. You can also see the lead-up form as well as the track and distance records of the runners.

The 2022 Makybe Diva Stakes runner-up Alligator Blood franked the form winning the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) and Group 1 VRC Champion’s Stakes (1600m) later that spring. Alligator Blood returned to run a brave second to Mr Brightside in the 2023 Makybe Diva Stakes results.

Makybe Diva Stakes Form Facts

• Single-digit Makybe Diva Stakes barriers produced 11 winners from 2012 – 2024.
• Southern Speed (2012) is the only Makybe Diva Stakes winning mare to beat home the boys since 1996.
• Favourites in Makybe Diva Stakes betting have a poor recent record with just five saluting from 2008 – 2024.
• The Memsie Stakes is a key lead-up producing all but five of the Makybe Diva winners from 2014 – 2024 including Dissident (2014) and Mr Brightside (2023) who did the double.

2024 Makybe Diva Stakes Form Guide

A link to our detailed Makybe Diva Stakes 2024 Form Guide and betting preview will be provided for punters below the week of the race.

Makybe Diva Stakes Results

The Makybe Diva Stakes race results are known when the race runs late on the Flemington race card on Makybe Diva Stakes Day and show not only the winning trifecta for exotic bets but the exact finishing order of all the runners as well as any scratched horses, plus the winning time and margin for the record books.

There have been plenty of recent upset Makybe Diva Stakes results including big odds on offer for the ill-fated Gatting ($101 in 2019) who sadly passed away after breaking down in the same event in 2020, Humidor ($7 in 2017), Foreteller ($15 in 2013), and Littorio ($41 in 2011).

Mares have a poor record in the Makybe Diva Stakes race results with just the one win since 1996, while just two eight-year-olds have won the race in over 30 years with Hugs Dancer (2004) and Fawkner (2015).

Southern Speed (2012) was the last Makybe Diva Stakes winning mare.

Acramitis (1954) remains the only three-year-old Makybe Diva Stakes winner in history.

Dual Choice holds the current 1600m Makybe Diva Stakes race record winning in 1971 in 1 minute 31:9 seconds.

Mr Brightside (2023-24) was the last back-to-back Makybe Diva Stakes winner. 

Past Makybe Diva Stakes Winners

Recent Makybe Diva Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2000 are detailed in the below table.

Sadly, the 2022 Makybe Diva Stakes winner I’m Thunderstruck would go on to be euthanised in March of 2023 following arthroscopic fetlock surgery. He suffered a catastrophic knee injury whilst getting up after general anaesthetic.

FAQ

When is the Makybe Diva Stakes 2024?

What is the prize money for the Makybe Diva Stakes 2024?

$750,000

Where is the Makybe Diva Stakes 2024?

Flemington Racecourse, 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031.