<p>The Makybe Diva Stakes, run over 1600m at Flemington, has been a feature of the early Spring Racing Carnival program since it was first run as the Craiglee Stakes in 1948. It is a weight-for-age race that trainers want their horses to perform well in to encourage them to continue with their spring targets, either in weight-for-age races or the feature handicaps, such as the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup.</p> <p>It was renamed the Makybe Diva Stakes – after the great three-time Melbourne Cup winner – in 2006, and earned Group 1 status in 2012.</p> <p>Surprisingly, the Makybe Diva Stakes hasn’t been a significant guide to the Cox Plate, run late in October. Only five horses have completed the double, and not since Northerly did it in 2002. Via Sistina, last year’s dynamic Cox Plate winner and hot favourite to win again this year, will be out to break the hoodoo.<br /> <br /> Via Sistina and her high-class stablemate will be aiming to be the 14th mare to win the Makybe Diva Stakes, and the first since Southern Speed in 2012.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Makybe Diva Stakes 2025 Preview and Details</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Track:</strong> Flemington</p> <p><strong>Distance/type: </strong>1600m. Weight-For-Age</p> <p><strong>Date: </strong>Saturday, 13 September</p> <p><strong>Total Prizemoney: </strong>$750,000</p> <p><strong>First Prize: </strong>$450,000</p> <p><strong>Moir Stakes: </strong>Race 8 (4.20 pm)</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Weather and Track</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The Flemington track was rated a Good 4 on Wednesday. With the BOM predicting only casual showers to fall from Thursday to Saturday. Expect the track surface to remain in the Good 4 range, and maybe firmer.</p> <p>The rail is true for the entire circuit. The most recent Flemington meeting was on August 2, when the rail was out 10m on Good 4 surface. The inside of the track should be pristine, and may suit on-pace runners.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Trainers</h3> <p>Champion trainer Chris Waller has three of the main chances in this year’s Makybe Diva Stakes – Via Sistina, Aeliana and Buckaroo. Waller’s only win in the Makybe Diva Stakes was with Forteller in 2013. The Hayes brothers – Ben, Will and JD – have won the past two with their grand campaigner Mr Brightside, who lines up for a third. The Hayes boys will be hoping to join their illustrious father, David, who trained three Makybe Diva Stakes winners, one less than his father, Colin.</p> <p>No other trainer with a starter this year has won a Makybe Diva Stakes. The legendary Bart Cummings heads the list of winning trainers with six.</p> <h2>&nbsp;</h2> <h3>The Jockeys</h3> <p>The jockey with the most Makybe Diva Stakes winners is Craig Williams, with five, including the past two on Mr Brightside, who he rides aiming for three on the trot. Damian Lane (Aeliana) won on Humidor in 2017 and Ben Melham (Tom Kitten) won on Dissident in 2014.</p> <p>The other three jockeys on the six-horse field – James McDonald (Via Sistina), Blake Shinn (Antino) and Jamie Mott (Mark Twain) – don’t have a Makybe Diva Stakes on their CV..<br /> <br /> It’s worth noting that McDonald usually rides in Sydney early in the spring, but his strike rate at Flemington in the past 12 months is 28.2 per cent winners to rides, which is elite.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Speed Map</h3> <p>With a small field of six and no standout leader, it’s a tricky speed map to predict. The most likely “go forward” horses are Mr Brightside and Antino. From barrier 1, expect Mr Brightside to lead from Antino on his outside. The wily Craig Williams on Brightside will want a moderate tempo and a dash home. Aeliana showed when she won the G2 Hobartville Stakes earlier this year, when she settled fifth from barrier three, that she could find a forward position. Her winning chances will depend on her settling in front of the favourite and stablemate Via Sistina.</p> <p>It will be interesting to see what James McDonald does on Via Sistina. She has drawn barrier two and McDonald might want to hold a more forward position to settle on the back of Antino.&nbsp;</p> <p>Tom Kitten could go forward in a significant change of tactics, but he’s been a sluggish beginner of late, and Mark Twain will be outpaced.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Points of Interest</h3> <p><strong>Significant Gear Changes: </strong>Big fella Tom Kitten, who played up in the barriers before he was scratched from this Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, will be aided by a barrier extension to give his lengthy frame more room at the back of the stalls.</p> <p><strong>Flopped Last Year: </strong>Via Sistina, after winning the Winx Stakes at Randwick, was beaten into fifth place in last year’s Makybe Diva Stakes, 6.5 lengths astern of the winner Mr Brightside. However, that was on a heavy 9 track which she won’t be faced with this year.&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Creating History: </strong>Mr Brightside has won the past two Makybe Diva Stakes. Only two other horses – Chicquita (1950-51) and Sailor’s Guide (1956-57) – have won multiple Makybe Divas, and Mr Brightside is aiming to be the first to win three.</p> <h2><strong>&nbsp;</strong></h2> <h2>Makybe Diva Stakes 2025 Racing Tips</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Makybe Diva Top Tip&nbsp;</h3> <p><strong>Via Sistina</strong></p> <p>In what will be an intriguing and tactical Makybe Diva Stakes, Via Sistina is the top tip, simply, because she’s the best horse in the race. Although her appearance at Flemington is an afterthought for trainer Chris Waller, who had planned to run her in Sydney next week, the great mare has won six of her seven starts – all at Group 1 level – since she was beaten on heavy ground last year.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Makybe Diva Dangers</h3> <p><strong>Aeliana</strong></p> <p>One of the stars of the autumn carnival in Sydney when she demolished the males to win the G1 Australian Derby by 5.16 lengths. She showed she’s returned in fine form to fully test Via Sistina in the Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick on heavy ground. Her only run at Flemington was last spring when she won the G3 Carbine Club Stakes over this distance. She just might be a very special horse on the make.</p> <p><strong>Mr Brightside</strong></p> <p>This wonderful competitor has won this race in the past two years, and he’s won 12 times over this distance. From barrier one, jockey Craig Williams can lead and dictate his own tempo, or if something else wants to lead, he can take the trail. Either way, he’ll be in the finish after his terrific second in the Memsie Stakes.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>The Makybe Diva Roughies</h3> <p><strong>Antino</strong></p> <p>Expect him to be ridden a bit more aggressively in this small field. He can’t come from behind Waller’s pair and beat them. Blake Shinn’s job is to get him to settle on the pace and have a kick to hold off the challengers. He will be a price that makes him a roughie with a chance.</p> <p><strong>Tom Kitten</strong></p> <p>Winning will be a surprise for the big boy after missing a start in the Memsie Stakes when he played up in the barriers. He was sent back to the trials at Mornington, but missed the kick by four lengths. The tick for him is his win in the All-Star Mile at Flemington in March.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h3>Makybe Diva Stakes Same Race Multi (combination)</h3> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Via Sistina – </strong>top two</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Mr Brightside &amp; Aeliana – </strong>top three</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><strong>Antino and Tom Kitten –</strong> top five</p> <p>&nbsp;</p>