The Chris Waller-trained Via Sistina is favourite in a small but top-class final field of eight to win her Melbourne debut second-up on Saturday in Flemington‘s 2024 Makybe Diva Stakes.

Via Sistina is favourite to win the 2024 Makybe Diva Stakes in Melbourne this weekend. Photo: Steve Hart.

The Group 1 $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) is the first Group 1 of the season over a mile and has drawn a highly competitive field of potential Ladbrokes Cox Plate-bound stars.

Heading the latest Makybe Diva Stakes odds online at Ladbrokes.com.au paying $2.10 to post her fourth career Group 1 is Waller’s imported daughter of Fastnet Rock, Via Sistina.

She was a narrow but convincing first-up winner in Sydney over just 1400m claiming the Winx Stakes fresh ahead of this event that sees her race in Melbourne for the first time.

James McDonald rides the Makybe Diva Stakes favourite from the inside alley with the mare sure to relish the 1600m now.

She’ll need to be good however with the likes of last year’s champion Mr Brightside chasing a successful title defense and Ciaron Maher‘s runaway Queen Elizabeth Stakes winning mare Pride Of Jenni looking to atone for her flat first-up performance.

Team Hayes’ stable ace Mr Brightside is second favourite at Makybe Diva Stakes odds to become the race’s first back-to-back champion since Sailor’s Guide right back in 1956-57.

He jumps from gate four with last year’s winning hoop Craig Williams aboard again as the jockey chases his fifth Makybe Diva Stakes victory in the past 20 years.

First-up Mr Brightside was a solid second in the Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) narrowly beaten by Pinstriped at Caulfield, and he will take the power of beating now with that run behind him.

Pride Of Jenni was favourite in that race and led the early stages before fading to finish over five lengths back fifth seemingly without excuses.

Plenty of attention will be on her now second-up with her spring campaign to be decided based on what she does from barrier seven as a $6 shot in the markets.

After handing his trainer Enver Jusufovic a maiden Group 1 win in the Memsie, Pinstriped is also in the mix at $8 to salute again and emulate Mr Brightside (2023) in completing the Memsie Stakes – Makybe Diva Stakes double.

The 2024 Makybe Diva Stakes is set to run as Flemington Race 8 at 4:20pm (AEST) on Saturday’s 10-race card.

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2024 Makybe Diva Stakes Final Field & Barrier Draw

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	22x11253x2	MR BRIGHTSIDE (NZ)	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	Craig Williams	4	59kg			118
2	21500x0x21	PINSTRIPED	Enver Jusufovic	Ben Allen	8	59kg			112
3	2343x4411x	CIRCLE OF FIRE (GB)	Ciaron Maher	Mark Zahra	2	59kg			108
4	1220x160x4	ANTINO (NZ)	Tony Gollan	Blake Shinn	6	59kg			108
5	116x62521x	WARMONGER (NZ)	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Michael Dee	3	58.5kg			106
6	611x2121x5	PRIDE OF JENNI	Ciaron Maher	Declan Bates	7	57kg			122
7	021x8132x9	ATISHU (NZ)	Chris Waller	Damian Lane	5	57kg			114
8	132x2x12x1	VIA SISTINA (IRE)	Chris Waller	James McDonald	1	57kg			118

Table Credit: Racing Australia. 

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