Australia: Classy group meets in Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington

A staggeringly deep field in Saturday’s Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at a mile at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne, Australia can be divided into two groups – contenders set for a peak effort and those returning from layoffs who are pointing for upcoming major races.

The $737,200 Maykbe Diva Stakes drew 13, with 10 Group 1 or Grade 1 winners – Aegon, Colette, Explosive Jack, Fifty Stars, Inspirational Girl, Johnny Get Angry, Keiai Nautique, Mo’unga, Sir Dragonet, and Tofane.

Sir Dragonet won the Group 1 Cox Plate, Australia’s leading weight-for-age race, last October and is expected to compete in the same race next month. Sir Dragonet is rated as a longshot in the Makybe Diva Stakes in his first start since a ninth in the Group 1 Doomben Cup at 1 1/4 miles in May.

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Keiai Nautique won the Grade 1 NHK Mile in Japan in 2018, and has raced in Australia more recently.

Mo’unga, the winner of the Group 1 Winx Stakes at seven furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Aug. 21 in his first start since April, is likely to be the second choice on Saturday behind the upstart 5-year-old gelding Incentivise, who will have his Group 1 debut in the Makybe Diva Stakes.

Trained by Peter Moody, Incentivise has won 6 of 9 starts, with the wins in six consecutive races from mid-April to late June at distances ranging from a mile to 1 9/16 miles for trainer Steve Tregea, the gelding’s breeder and co-owner. The Makybe Diva Stakes is Incentivise’s first start for Moody, who trained the brilliant female sprinter Black Caviar.

Incentivise is rated as a leading contender for the Group 1 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Nov. 2.

Incentivise and Mo’unga are stalkers as is Tofane, the winner of the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap and Group 1 Tattersall’s Tiara, both at seven furlongs, at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Brisbane in June.

A 6-year-old mare, Tofane was third in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield Racecourse on Aug. 28 in her first start following a break during the Australian winter.

Tofane closed well to finish three-quarters of a length behind Behemoth in the Memsie. This slightly longer distance will suit Tofane, who has the form to win the Makybe Diva against a field largely prepping for longer races.

Flemington has a 10-race program that begins at 10:30 p.m., Eastern, or 7:30 p.m., Pacific, on Friday. Wagering is available through DRFBets.com.