Via Sistina may be Australia’s reigning Horse of the Year, but she has ample competition within trainer Chris Waller’s prestigious stable alone to retain that title. Via Sistina won her first start of the current Australia season by slightly less than a half-length over stablemate Aeliana in the Group 1 Winx Stakes at seven furlongs at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney on Aug. 23. Via Sistina faces that same accomplished rival in Friday’s Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes at a mile at Flemington Racecourse in Melbourne. Only six entered the $495,000 Makybe Diva Stakes, with Via Sistina (4-5) and Aeliana (3-1) dominating the early betting as of Thursday. :: Get free past performances, analysis, and picks for international racing, including Australia The Makybe Diva Stakes will be Via Sistina’s first start a mile since the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes at Randwick on April 1, the first race of an active four-race winning streak, all in Group 1 races, for the Irish-bred mare. Aeliana, a 4-year-old New Zealand-bred filly, won a Group 3 at a mile at Flemington last November, but is best known for winning the Group 1 ATC Derby against males by more than five lengths at 1 1/2 miles at Randwick in April in her final start of the 2024-2025 season. In the Winx Stakes, Aeliana closed from 10th of 11 to be closest to the front at the finish. Via Sistina rallied from eighth, displaying her customary late-running style. Aeliana and Via Sistina are the only fillies and mares in the Makybe Diva Stakes, which also drew the multiple stakes winner Mr. Brightside. A winner of 19 of 45 starts, Mr. Brightside is winless in three starts since the Group 1 Futurity Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield in February. An 8-year-old gelding, Mr. Brightside was a good second to the brilliant filly Treasurethe Moment in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes at seven furlongs at Caulfield on Aug. 30 in his first start in four months. The Makybe Diva Stakes is part of a 10-race program that begins at 10:10 p.m. Eastern or 7:10 p.m. Pacific. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.