2024 Makybe Diva Stakes Day Tips & Preview

Nadal is a Group 2 place getter who rates highly in this BM78 contest to kick off his spring campaign.  

Ciaron Maher’s gelding was huge this time last year when finishing third behind Cylinder in the Run To The Rose, wrapping up his prep beaten only 3.5 lengths to Ozzmosis in the Coolmore down the straight here at Headquarters.  

The son of Xtravagant has been given a huge gap between runs, but did appear in fantastic order winning a recent Cranbourne trial narrowly on the line a fortnight ago. 

Jamie Kah was in the saddle for that trial run and looks to have a few options at her disposal from out wide.  

Detroit City returns from a let-up to put his unbeaten streak on the line.  

The son of Toronado is a progressive three-year-old capable of racing on the speed or getting back in his runs, as we saw here last start where he let down with a strong turn of foot to put his rivals away by 2.5 lengths.  

He was never really challenged over the final 200m and appeared to have plenty left to give when greeting the judge.  

I love the fact he’s been given a trial between starts and from barrier 7, it’s likely he lands just off the speed with Billy Egan retaining the ride.   

Tobeornottobe on top in what is a very difficult race to assess between the fillies.  

This daughter of Pierata was an impressive winner of her maiden in the Breeders Stakes back in March, putting away a handy field out wide with an explosive turn of foot to see off the likes of Ameena.  

The form from that race has been strong since and she did run well fresh on debut at Caulfield earlier in the year Blue Diamond Preview.

Drawn an inside gate off two solid jumpouts, she’ll be right in the mix.  

Growing Empire did not disappoint when letting rip with enormous late speed to claim the McNeil Stakes first-up at Caulfield.  

Ciaron Maher’s colt is three-from-four to start his career, two of those wins occurring at Group 3 level, with his debut win at The Valley coming over subsequent Group 2 winner, Bittercreek.  

Mark Zahra has maintained the steer from a perfect gate and there’s no question this boy has plenty left in the tank to not only tackle, but win a race like this quite convincingly.   

Point King went around at a nice price last start at The Valley off an 11-week break. 

The Freedman-trained gelding came bounding down the outside to win by close to four lengths in the end, suggesting he had plenty of scope to handle further as he was eased up crossing the line.  

This is tougher, but the Irish son of Zoffany did handle Group 3 level quite well overseas last year, while he also has some nice wet track form if there is any rain about.  

In carrying only 54kg with Jamie Kah remaining in the irons, I’m happy to have an each-way play in Lexus Archer Stakes betting as the Melbourne Cup ballot exemption goes on the line. 

Nicolino Vito looks the straight bat play in another open race.  

The old boy by Nicconi doesn’t win out of turn, but he has featured in the money in four of his last five starts, including at Morphettville only a few weeks ago when he made up a stack of ground from the tail to run third in the Listed Leon Macdonald Stakes.  

Whether he wants 1400m again is the main query, but if he’s afforded some cover this time into the straight, he should be one of the main chances – particularly with some likable wet track form on the resume.  

Sticking with the Richard Jolly-trained See You In Heaven third-up in the Let’s Elope Stakes. 

This mare by Divine Prophet really caught the eye when she claimed the Behemoth Stakes at Morphettville fresh from a break, grabbing the lead over the final 400m down the outside to win with plenty of petrol left in the tank.  

She looked in need of the run out to 1400m in the Leon Macdonald where she faced the breeze into the turn and just lacked the dash when the going got tough.  

Fitter though, and just needing luck from the gate, she should be a real threat with some good numbers here at Headquarters to her name.  

Happy to take the value on offer for Pride Of Jenni on the second line of Makybe Diva Stakes betting.  

I was with her fresh in the Memsie Stakes a fortnight ago where she was obviously a little disappointing, leading a handful of these into the straight before weakening badly to finish nearly six lengths off along the rail.  

That said, she was always a big query fresh, especially over 1400m at Caulfield.  

Fitter, out to the mile, and most importantly, back at Headquarters, she should run a more typical race up on the speed and prove hard to catch.  

San Doute is having her second run back for Mark Walker.  

The daughter of Not A Single Doubt was slow out of the gates fresh in the Carlyon Stakes at The Valley last month, but she was easily one of the runs of the race seen flashing home late down the outside to grab third.  

Her final 200m split ranked as the fastest across the entire meeting that day, while she’s also secured a handful of wins over 1200m in the past.  

If she jumps on time and gets across early from wider out, she’ll be storming into the finish again carrying only 53kg in the Bobbie Lewis Quality.  

It’s been close to a year since he last won a race, but this does look a suitable assignment for Brayden Star out to 1700m with a run under his belt.  

The Busuttin and Young trained gelding was among the last to greet the judge at Caulfield first-up, struggling to find room over the final furlong and clearly wanting further.  

He’s drawn a similar assignment this time from an identical gate and has typically done some of his best racing at this stage of his prep.  

A wet track at this point in the day might suit with further improvement to come.