Legendary Makybe Diva dies, aged 26

Makybe Diva, the only horse to have won three Melbourne Cups, has died from colic on Feb 28. She was 26.

One of Australia’s all-time great racehorses passed away at her owner Tony Santic’s property in Gnawarre, west of Geelong, where she retired after she won the third of her three consecutive Melbourne Cup wins in 2005.

Now-Hong Kong-based trainer David Hall prepared Makybe Diva to win her first Melbourne Cup.

Former Kranji-based trainer and Australian Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman took over as the mare’s trainer, preparing her to win the 2004-05 editions, plus the Cox Plate, Australian Cup and Tancred Stakes (then The BMW), all Group 1 events.

She was ridden at all those famous first Tuesdays of November by Glen Boss, who rode with success in Singapore in the late 2010s and is now retired.

“I had the perfect partner in Makybe Diva,” said Boss to Racing And Sports.

“I’m just blessed she came into my life – I owe her so much.”

An English-bred by Desert King out of Tugela, Makybe Diva won 15 times, including seven at Group 1 level, and was placed seven times from 36 starts, all in Australia, earning a then-Australian record of A$14,526,685 (S$13.07 million).

As much as she was a legend on the tracks, Makybe Diva did not leave a memorable legacy off the tracks in the breeding barn.

From the nine foals she produced as a broodmare, seven raced, five won, none reaching the heights attained by their mother.

Michael Lee