Melbourne Cup winning trainer Danny O’Brien dominates the Makybe Diva Stakes 2020 nominations for Saturday with five of the 20 early entries led by his resuming SA Derby champ Russian Camelot.
SA Derby winner Russian Camelot heads the 2020 Makybe Diva Stakes nominations for his first-up run this weekend. Photo: Jenny Barnes.
The Group 1 $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington is shaping-up as an intriguing spring showdown between a number of returning staying stars and some in-form milers.
Current all-in favourite at Makybe Diva Stakes odds of $3 through Ladbrokes.com.au to win first-up as a four-year-old is O’Brien’s classy Camelot entire Russian Camelot.
Clear favourite for his first-up run, the galloper went out a two-time winner including his big win over Dalasan in the Group 1 SA Derby (2500m) on May 9.
O’Brien has also nominated for his Melbourne Cup winner Vow And Declare who failed to win in his three autumn runs earlier in the year, consistent import Orderofthegarter who is up in grade here, last year’s VRC Oaks heroine Miami Bound and Adelaide Cup champ King Of Leogrance.
Russian Camelot and King Of Leogrance were put through their paces in a gallop at Moonee Valley on Saturday and the stable is confident in their condition ahead of Saturday’s feature.
“They had a really nice gallop, we’ve been really happy with them both at home,” O’Brien’s assistant trainer Ben Gleeson told Racing.com on the weekend.
“Russian Camelot goes into next weekend very fit with a lot of improvement to come so we have no qualms about him seeing out the mile first up.
“Physically he (Russian Camelot) looks amazing.”
Outside of the favourite Russian Camelot, it is a wide-open early market for the Makybe Diva Stakes in 2020 with Fierce Impact ($7) considered the danger.
SA Derby runner-up Dalasan ($8) is in for a rematch with his conqueror in the Group 1 and presents fit third-up for Saturday.
The Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas-trained Dalakhani stallion has a strong record at HQ (5:2-1-0) and is back in Melbourne for the first time since running only 1.5 lengths back fifth as a $61 roughie in the $5 million All-Star Mile at Caulfield during the autumn.
He has had five runs since at home in South Australia for two Black-Type wins, the SA Derby second and a further two Black-Type placings this time in.
Trainer Chris Waller, fresh off his incredible Group 2 Feehan Stakes success with new stable acquisition Humidor, has just the one entry with Kings Will Dream ($8) well-supported on the back of his first-up third in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m).
Star WA mare Perfect Jewel ($8) coming off a Group 3 Cockram Stakes win at Caulfield and one-time Caulfield Cup favourite Master Of Wine ($9) for Hawkes Racing are also under double-figures in pre-field betting on the Makybe Diva Stakes.
Click here to view the latest 2020 Makybe Diva Stakes odds courtesy of Ladbrokes.com.au with final acceptances closing Wednesday.
2020 Makybe Diva Stakes Nominations
| Last 10 | Horse | Sex | Age | Trainer | Hcp Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3111x105x5 | ARCADIA QUEEN | M | 5 | Grant & Alana Williams | 110 |
| 2 | 3555112×23 | DALASAN | H | 4 | Leon Macdonald & Andrew Gluyas | 103 |
| 3 | 211x2348x3 | FIERCE IMPACT (JPN) | H | 7 | Matthew Smith | 112 |
| 4 | 037902x00x | GAILO CHOP (FR) | G | 10 | Matthew Williams | 105 |
| 5 | 2752x940x0 | GATTING | G | 7 | Peter G Moody | 107 |
| 6 | 380x4549x7 | HARLEM (GB) | G | 9 | Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes | 107 |
| 7 | 349x211x2x | KING OF LEOGRANCE (FR) | G | 6 | Danny O’Brien | 103 |
| 8 | 66x32050x3 | KINGS WILL DREAM (IRE) | G | 7 | Chris Waller | 109 |
| 9 | 0211x8x58x | LEVENDI | H | 6 | Peter Gelagotis | 105 |
| 10 | 2311x114x0 | MASTER OF WINE (GER) | G | 6 | Michael, Wayne & John Hawkes | 106 |
| 11 | 13411x84x4 | MIAMI BOUND (NZ) | M | 4 | Danny O’Brien | 103 |
| 12 | 21x07511x0 | OCEANEX (NZ) | M | 5 | Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr) | 105 |
| 13 | 15627x2x22 | ORDEROFTHEGARTER (IRE) | H | 7 | Danny O’Brien | 97 |
| 14 | 481x0112x1 | PERFECT JEWEL | M | 6 | Grant & Alana Williams | 106 |
| 15 | 7104x356x8 | PRINCESS JENNI (NZ) | M | 5 | David Brideoake | 102 |
| 16 | 56x423115x | QUICK THINKER | H | 4 | Murray Baker & Andrew Forsman | 106 |
| 17 | 12x411x | RUSSIAN CAMELOT (IRE) | H | 4 | Danny O’Brien | 105 |
| 18 | 4644116×45 | SO SI BON | G | 7 | Tom Dabernig & Ben Hayes | 106 |
| 19 | 1x421x395x | VOW AND DECLARE | G | 5 | Danny O’Brien | 113 |
| 20 | 21x755633x | WARNING | G | 4 | Anthony & Sam Freedman | 103 |
Table Credit: Racing Australia.
