The Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival is well and truly with us and the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on Saturday has drawn together a high quality field that includes eight individual Group 1 winners.
The Darren Weir trained Black Heart Bart has been installed the short priced favourite to win back to back Group 1s and looks the one to beat again after storming home to take out the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last start.
Weir will also saddle up second favourite Palentino along with his Melbourne Cup hope Prince of Penzance who will start as one of the outsiders in the Makybe Diva Stakes.
Below is a brief analysis of the thirteen runners in the Group 1 weight for age Spring Carnival contest.
Prince Of Penzance
Prince Of Penzance will be better suited over the 1600m of the Makybe Diva Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.
2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince Of Penzance has had one run back this Spring when he could only manage to beat one runner home when eleventh to stablemate Black Heart Bart in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes. The 1400m of the Memsie Stakes was far too short for Prince Of Penzance and while the step up to the 1600m this weekend will be more to his liking, it is hard to see him figuring in the finish and he will be even better suited as the distances get longer leading up to the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.
Happy Trails
Happy Trails is taking on a tough assignment first up and the nine year old hasn’t been in the winner’s stall since taking out the 2014 Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes over 1000m at Flemington. The Paul Beshara trained veteran was fifth in last year’s Mackinnon Stakes and was unplaced from four runs during this year’s Autumn Carnival. A wide barrier doesn’t help his chances.
Black Heart Bart
Black Heart Bart will start the favourite in the Makybe Diva Stakes. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Black Heart Bart has the form on the board and looks the one to beat on his first up victory in the Group 1 Memsie Strakes over 1400m at Caulfield. Black Heart Bart’s latest Group 1 form has been first class with two wins and two seconds from is last four starts. During the Autumn he finished second to English in the All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick before going on to win the Goodwood (1200m) at Morphettville. The Darren Weir trained gelding than went to Brisbane to be beaten a nose by Under The Louvre in the Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm before preparing for the Spring. Damien Oliver takes over from the suspended Brad Rawiller and will give Black Heart Bart every chance from barrier eight.
Our Ivanhowe
Our Ivanhowe is having his first run back since winning the Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben during the Brisbane Winter Carnival and is capable of running a cheeky race first up over the 1600m. Co-trainers Lee and Anthony Freedman had their problems with the German import in the Autumn but have him ready to fire in the Spring and he is entered for all the major Spring Carnival feature races including the Caulfield Cup, the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup.
Jacquinot Bay
Jacquinot Bay is one of three runners for Lindsay Park to go around in the Makybe Diva Stakes but is yet to salute at Group 1 level. Jacquinot Bay raced all through the winter with two wins in weaker company than he faces on Saturday but did produce a career best second in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield two starts back. Can’t see the nine year old troubling this field.
Entirely Platinum
Entirely Platinum is another who is yet to win a Group 1 race although he has been placed three times at this level, including a third to Fawkner in last year’s Makybe Diva Stakes. Entirely Platinum ran his best race for twelve months last start when third at big odds to Miss Rose De Lago in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. The Team Hawkes trained seven year old is at double figure odds again but a finish in the placings wouldn’t surprise.
He Or She
He Or She was a Group 2 winner during the Autumn when he took out the Blamey Stakes over the same course and distance as the Makybe Diva Stakes but has been well beaten at his last two starts in Group 1 company. He Or She is another from the Lindsay Park Team but it is hard to see him turning the tables on Black Heart Bart after finishing a first up seventh in the Memsie Stakes.
Alpine Eagle
Alpine Eagle from the Tony McEvoy stable made little impression on Black Heart Bart when he resumed for a sixth in the Memsie Stakes and it is hard to see him threatening him this week. Alpine Eagle showed plenty of potential in his three year old year and was narrowly beaten when second to Wandjina in the 2015 Australian Guineas over 1600m at Flemington.
Tarzino
Tarzino will be doing his best work over the concluding stages in the Makybe Diva Stakes. Photo by Steve Hart.
Tarzino will be better suited over the 1600m of the Makybe Diva Stakes following his first up eighth to Black Heart Bart in the Memsie Stakes. The Mick Price trained Tarzino claimed his biggest victory at Flemington with his win in the Group 1 Victoria Derby during last year’s Melbourne Spring Carnival and collected another Group 1 trophy for his win in the Rosehill Guineas (2000m) during the Sydney Autumn Carnival. Craig Newiit will settle Tarzino near the tail of the field but the four year old will be doing his best work over the concluding stages and could run into a place.
Palentino
Palentino gets his chance to test stablemate Black Heart Bart over the same course and distance that saw him win the Group 1 Australian Guineas during the Melbourne Autumn Carnival earlier in the year. Palentino is fitter for two runs back from a spell and goes into the Makybe Diva Stakes on the back of a fifth to Black Heart Bart in the Memsie Stakes. Palentino is on the second line of betting for the Makybe Diva Stakes, hovering around the $6 mark.
Ayres Rock
Ayres Rock is a restricted class galloper well out of his depth in the Makybe Diva Stakes and you can’t argue with the bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au listing him as the $201 outsider of the field.
Rising Romance
Rising Romance, the third runner from the Lindsay Park Team, is a proven Group 1 performer who resumed for the Spring with a second to Black Heart Bart in the Memsie Stakes. Rising Romance finished second to Fawkner in last year’s running of the Makybe Diva Stakes and since then has run second in the Group 1 Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington during the 2015 Spring Carnival and third in the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington during this year’s Melbourne Autumn Carnival. She has a great chance to be amongst the prizemoney again.
Sofia Rosa
Kiwi mare Sofia Rosa never got hot when a first up tenth to Black Heart Bart in the Memsie Stakes and even though she will be better suited over the 1600m, it is hard to see her threatening here. Sofia Rosa was at her best over a longer journey during the Sydney Autumn Carnival with a win in the Group 1 Australian Oaks over 2400m at Randwick.