| What | Makybe Diva Stakes Day 2023 |
| Where | Flemington Racecourse – 448 Epsom Rd, Flemington VIC 3031 |
| When | Saturday, September 16, 2023 |
| First Race | 12:10pm AEST |
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Visit Ladbrokes |
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Group 1 racing returns to Flemington Racecourse on Saturday as the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) headlines a stacked 10-race program that kicks off at 12:10pm local time. The Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400m) and Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) have some genuine Group 1 gallopers going around, with further stakes racing littered throughout the card. A perfect spring day is forecast, and the Good 4 track rating reflects that.
Keep reading for our free race-by-race preview and quaddie selections
Race 1: BM78 Handicap (1100m)
We kick off a Group 1 day with a competitive BM78 down the Flemington straight. Skidamarink has continually been scratched in recent weeks but will not get better conditions to resume her career. The four-year-old mare has three wins from her four starts, with those coming in several strong form races. The I Am Invincible mare will be racing up on speed and with not many other speed influences in the event, Skidamarink might just prove too hard to gun down in the opener.
18
SKIDAMARINK
15
JEAN VALJEAN
2
CAUSE FOR CONCERN
13
BEWS
Race 2: Quality Handicap (2500m)
Serpentine is without a doubt the class horse in this 2500m event and is penalised by giving at least 2.5kg to his rivals. However, the six-year-old gelding returned with a runner-up effort in Listed company at Randwick and gets his chance to build on a lacklustre record when going the ‘Melbourne way’. He will be making all out in front under Ben Melham and considering he should gain an uncontested lead, Serpentine will look the winner for a fair amount of this race and we think he can hold on late.
1
SERPENTINE
2
INTERPRETATION
8
SHAIYHAR
10
UNITED NATIONS
Race 3: Listed The Sofitel (1400m)
Antino is set to make his Victorian debut and with eight wins from nine starts he brings plenty to get excited about. Regular jockey and arguably Queensland’s best James Orman gives up a full book of rides at Eagle Farm for just this one ride on Saturday. The five-year-old gelding has drawn perfectly (1) and with little to no other known leaders in the race, he will be given every conceivable to claimed The Sofitel at Listed level on his way to bigger and better things this spring.
2
ANTINO
3
DETONATOR JACK
4
KALINO
6
UMGAWA
Race 4: Listed Poseidon Stakes (1100m)
I Am Unstoppable comes to Flemington following a narrow defeat in the Vain Stakes (1100m) on August 19 and looks hard to beat in the Listed Poseidon Stakes. The Lloyd Kennewell & Lucy Yeomans-trained colt finished a long neck off subsequent Run To The Rose (1200m) winner Cylinder and looks to bring the right form lines into a race like this. Zac Spain will have this son of I Am Invincible stalking the speed throughout and with a touch of race fitness on his side over race favourite King’s Gambit, we anticipate I Am Unstoppable will live up to his name on the weekend.
6
I AM UNSTOPPABLE
3
KING’S GAMBIT
1
BARBER
11
KADINSKY ABSTRACT
Race 5: Listed Exford Plate (1400m)
Legacies returned with a runner-up effort in the Group 3 McNeil Stakes (1200m) when beaten less than a length by the classy Veight. Her form during her juvenile campaign suggests a race like this is more than within her capabilities and the step up to 1400m second-up looks ideal. She won the Listed ANZAC Day Stakes when second-up at this trip last campaign and as long as Jamie Kah can find cover from barrier seven, Legacies looks to bring an element of class to a race like this and looks like a clear best bet of the day.
- 15
LEGACIES
1
LE ZEBRA
7
MOJAVE DESERT
16
NODACHI
Best Bet
Race 5 – #15 Legacies (7)
3yo Filly | T: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman | J: Jamie Kah (56kg)
+115 with PendleburyBet
Race 6: Listed Cap D’Antibes Stakes (1100m)
Skirt The Law beat all bar Charm Stone upon return in the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) upon return, with that runner coming out and winning impressively at Moonee Valley last Saturday. The Tony Gollan-trained filly comes to Flemington for the first time and despite drawing wide (23), she will gain a perfect tow into the race down the straight. Armed with a strong finishing burst, Skirt The Law has an element of class about her and should be winning second-up from a spell once again.
3
SKIRT THE LAW
2
STEEL CITY
8
STRETAN ANGEL
15
ESTRIELLA
Next Best
Race 6 – #3 Skirt The Law (23)
3yo Filly | T: Tony Gollan | J: Ryan Maloney (57.5kg)
+280 with Dabble
Race 7: Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m)
The Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes looks to be a race in three. Despite Mr Brightside and Princess Grace beating him home in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m), Alligator Blood looks hard to beat upon his returned to Flemington. The now seven-year-old gelding has won three of his four starts at the track, with his one defeat coming in this race last year when lipped out by the late I’m Thunderstruck. Damien Oliver should get his own way out in front aboard the ‘Gator and despite the way Mr Brightside has returned, he is far from a Flemington specialist (5: 1-0-2) and we’re hoping Alligator Blood can take that slight advantage and run away with his fourth Group 1 success.
2
ALLIGATOR BLOOD
1
MR BRIGHTSIDE
7
PRINCESS GRACE
6
OSIPENKO
Makybe Diva Stakes
Race 7 – #2 Alligator Blood (4)
7yo Gelding | T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | J: Damien Oliver (59kg)
+300 with Unibet
Race 8: Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes (1400M)
Amelia’s Jewel might just end the spring as the best horse in the country (if she isn’t already) and she should be returning a winning in the Group 2 Let’s Elope Stakes. She makes her east coast debut and is handed the visitor’s draw out in barrier 15, but her want to get back and run on offsets the sticky barrier. She will be giving her rivals a big start in this, but we expect Damian Lane to have her hitting top gear at the right time, with Amelia’s Jewel charging down the heart of the track and signalling her Group 1 intent for the spring.
1
AMELIA’S JEWEL
5
FOXY FRIDA
2
SEE YOU IN HEAVEN
4
CASTE
Let’s Elope Stakes
Race 8 – #1 Amelia’s Jewel (1)
4yo Mare | T: Simon Miller | J: Damian Lane (58.5kg)
-125 with Picklebet
Race 9: Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m)
Benedetta is a deserving favourite in the Group 2 Bobbie Lewis Quality, but first-up from a spell Star Patrol can return a winner. First-up last campaign, the Starspangledbanner gelding produced a stunning turn of foot to win at Sandown over 1100m and considering he is already a winner at the Flemington 1200m, the occasion should not be a daunting one. Drawn to the outside of Benedetta, Ben Melham will have his main rival in his sights throughout and if Star Patrol is anywhere near his best, he can cause somewhat of an upset on Saturday.
5
STAR PATROL
8
BENEDETTA
1
KING OF SPARTA
10
NAJEM SUHAIL
Bobbie Lewis Quality
Race 9 – #5 Star Patrol (10)
5yo Gelding | T: Clinton McDonald | J: Ben Melham (54.5kg)
+400 with BoomBet
Race 10: Handicap (1700m)
Makram produced some stunning late sectionals upon return at Caulfield on August 19 and with a return to the Flemington 1700m, he can salute at a nice price in the last. The Ben Will & JD Hayes-trained runner has two wins from as many starts at the track and trip and with three wins from six second-up runs, it looks to be a perfect recipe for success for Makram. Craig Williams will have this bloke towards the rear of the field and with a genuine tempo expected, the race looks perfectly setup for Makram to blouse some vulnerable leaders.
3
MAKRAM
10
DEVOTED
16
CARINI
12
ABERFELDIE BOY
Best Value
Race 10 – #3 Makram (13)
6yo Gelding | T: Ben, Will & JD Hayes | J: Craig Williams (58kg)
+1400 with Neds
Flemington quaddie tips for Makybe Diva Stakes Day 2023
Flemington quadrella selections
Saturday, September 16, 2023
- 1-2-7
- 1
- 1-5-8
- 3-4-10-12-14-16
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