Peter Moody will saddle-up the two favourites in the weekend’s Group 1 races across two states this weekend including Dissident who came up trumps with barrier six for the Makybe Diva Stakes 2014 in Melbourne.
2014 Makybe Diva Stakes favourite Dissident is set to firm after drawing barrier six. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia.
Barrier six is the same gate allocated to his smart filly Bring Me The Maid who will take on the boys in the $1 million Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) in Sydney looking to become the first female winner of the three-year-olds’ classic since 2008.
At Flemington Racecourse meanwhile all eyes will be on Moody’s in-form Sebring four-year-old Dissident, the stallion to jump the favourite through Ladbrokes.com.au to win the $400,000 Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).
Running as Flemington Race 7 at 4:00pm the weight-for-age feature attracted 11 final acceptors with Dissident to be ridden by Ben Melham.
Melham retains the ride on the 2014 Cox Plate hope after guiding him to a commanding two and a quarter length victory over Sweet Idea in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) first-up at Caulfield on August 30.
History is against Dissident however as just one Makybe Diva Stakes favourite has won in the past 10 years with Weekend Hussler saluting in 2008.
Also coming via a top three run in the Memsie Stakes is third placed Puissance De Lune, Darren Weir’s Shamardal stallion having finished second in last year’s Makybe Diva Stakes.
The now seven-year-old grey has been back on track after injuring a tendon when 12th in last year’s Cox Plate and will jump from barrier two on Saturday with Brad Rawiller.
Like Dissident, who pays $17 in the early Cox Plate odds at Ladbrokes.com.au, Puissance De Lune is heading towards the $3 million Moonee Valley feature on October 25 and is at $26 to atone for last year’s Cox Plate failure.
Reigning Makybe Diva Stakes winner Foreteller is a notable non-acceptor with Chris Waller opting not to give the Dansili gelding the chance to go back-to-back despite his nice third to The Cleaner in the Group 2 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley last Saturday.
Waller will still be represented in the field however with triple Group 1 winner Boban, who took out the Epsom Handicap – Emirates Stakes double last spring, jumping from barrier four with Glyn Schofield aboard.
The Bernardini five-year-old is third-up this season and coming off a fifth to Dissident in the Memsie.
Robert Hickmott and owner Lloyd Williams meanwhile are dually represented in the showdown by two of their former Spring Cups winners first-up here.
Last year’s Caulfield Cup champion Fawkner, a $26 chance through Ladbrokes.com.au to go back-to-back in the world’s richest 2400m handicap on October 18, jumps from barrier three with Nicholas Hall riding while 2012 Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon is in barrier seven with Chad Schofield in the saddle.
Other notable hopes then include the Team Hawkes-trained Messene and the David Hayes & Tom Dabernig-trained Spillway drawn in barriers nine and eight respectively.
Lonhro six-year-old Messene was second first-up second in the Missile Stakes at Randwick but failed to feature in the Memsie Stakes when ninth.
British import Spillway meanwhile has had four runs down under only including a Group 3 JRA Plate (2000m) win in April and a last start second behind Star Rolling in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) on August 16.
See below for the full Makybe Diva Stakes 2014 field, barriers and jockeys.
Our preferred bookie Ladbrokes.com.au is set to open their betting on the final field shortly making now the time to open an with them and enjoy the benefits of betting online!
2014 Makybe Diva Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw
Flemington Race 7 (4:00pm) – 13/09/2014
| # | Form (Last 10) | Horse | Trainer | Jockey | Br. | Wgt. | H. Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | x5990x427x | GREEN MOON (IRE) | Robert Hickmott | Chad Schofield | 7 | 59kg | 113 |
| 2 | 3x75316x7x | FAWKNER | Robert Hickmott | Nicholas Hall | 3 | 59kg | 112 |
| 3 | 1x54170x45 | BOBAN | Chris Waller | Glyn Schofield | 4 | 59kg | 116 |
| 4 | 1x349359x0 | SUPER COOL | Mark Kavanagh | Glen Boss | 5 | 59kg | 111 |
| 5 | 1x235443x6 | SERTORIUS | Jamie Edwards & Bruce Elkington | Ryan Maloney | 11 | 59kg | 105 |
| 6 | 1x12720x63 | PUISSANCE DE LUNE (IRE) | Darren Weir | Brad Rawiller | 2 | 59kg | 111 |
| 7 | x11x117x29 | MESSENE | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | Dwayne Dunn | 9 | 59kg | 107 |
| 8 | 0344x781x2 | SPILLWAY (GB) | David Hayes & Tom Dabernig | Damien Oliver | 8 | 59kg | 103 |
| 9 | 64x21160x1 | DISSIDENT | Peter G Moody | Ben Melham | 6 | 58.5kg | 112 |
| 10 | 1659x395x1 | LATE CHARGE | Wendy Kelly | Vlad Duric | 10 | 58.5kg | 76 |
| 11 | 01×21 | DON DOREMO (NZ) | Robbie Laing | Darren Gauci | 1 | 58.5kg | 67 |
