Makybe Diva Stakes (Group 1)
THE Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Sheza Alibi has become the first filly or mare to win in the Makybe Diva Stakes since it became a Group 1 in 2013. The four-year-old Saxon Warrior filly, second to Horse of the Year Autumn Glow in the Winx Stakes three weeks earlier, was sent out unchallenged in the market at $1.60.
Settling in the middle of the 10-horse field, Luke Nolen had Sheza Alibi on the back of Sir Delius rounding the bend. Drifting wide to be in clean air at the 400 metre mark, Sheza Alibi simply cruised to the front by the 200 metres, extending that margin out to three-lengths on the line. The Autumn Sun colt Autumn Boy finished well to claim second, with the Street Boss gelding Another Wil in third.
“We don’t know her ceiling yet, so that’s the exciting part of it,” said Luke Nolen. “Outwardly, she doesn’t stand out, even as a trackworker she doesn’t stand out, but she’s all racehorse. I was afforded a nice draw and I could stalk the hardest to beat everywhere they went, so I ended up being the hunter and it suits this filly just fine.”
A winner of eight and placed four times from her 12 starts, this was her third Group 1 win, with her earnings in excess of A$4.36 million. To put that in context, she was bought by Fred Noffkey for $10,000 as a weanling, when offered through the 2023 Inglis Digital June sale.
“She’s done that quite easily, it looked like, which is quite incredible when you look at the horses she was up against,” said Katherine Coleman. “She’s very special and it means so much to our stable. She’s probably come back more of a finished product this time around. She’s always been a lovely horse to look at, but she’s just really developed.
“She looks bigger and stronger and hopefully we continue to see that. I would say, at this stage, we are still geared towards a Golden Eagle, but never make decisions on race day,” added Coleman in reference to Randwick’s $10 million 1,500 metre race restricted to four-year-olds on Victoria Derby Day, October 31st. Last year’s edition was won by Autumn Glow.
THE Bjorn Baker-trained Warwoven has ran himself into third favouritism for the Group 1 Golden Rose (1,400 metres, September 26th), with victory in Saturday’s Group 2 Run To The Rose over Rosehill’s 1,200 metres.
In the firing line at the top of the straight, The Sword Of State colt got the better of the leader Castillo King to stretch out a handy advantage before his pursuers closed the gap. The Snitzel colt St Gotthard was a long neck away in second, with the Too Darn Hot colt Under Focus a further length back in third.
“He’s such a good colt. He’s come back bigger and stronger,” said assistant trainer Luke Hilton. “He’s got better and better this preparation and Bjorn looked after him first-up.
“He found a lovely spot, there was good speed in the race and, when he landed just outside the lead, I thought he was going to be really hard to beat. His work at home has been outstanding this week.”
’You dream, and you dream big’
With Luke Hilton looking after Rosehill, Bjorn Baker saddled up two runners at Flemington. Front of mind was the Extreme Choice colt Paradoxium, the second favourite for the Group 3 Poseidon Stakes over 1,100 metres for three-year-old colts and geldings.
Jumping well, Paradoxium controlled the race from the midway to run out a one-length winner and set himself up for the Coolmore Stud Stakes in November.
“I love coming down here and I thought he was a good chance. He was very good and he had to carry a little bit more weight than the others as well,” said Baker.
“Hopefully, we can get back here for the Coolmore. He reminded me a bit of Ozzmosis (the 2023 Coolmore Stud Stakes winner, also trained by Baker) half-way through that run. You dream, and you dream big.”
A DAUGHTER of the 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, Shockletz, has won ballot-free entry into this year’s Melbourne Cup following her win in the Group 3 Archer Stakes over 2,500 metres at Flemington on Saturday.
Trained by Ciaron Maher with Harry Coffey up, Shockletz was in the leading bunch that reeled in Chief Little Rock, who got to a 20-length lead at one point.
All together at the 300 metre mark, Shockletz, who races in the same colours and Laurence Eales ownership as Shocking, just powered away over the closing stages to win by two lengths.
The Lope De Vega gelding Think Giant took second with the Vadamos mare Jennivamoose third.
“Just at her last start, she was just having a bit of a lend and you could see her prick her ears the last 100 metres at Caulfield and Jennivamoose actually went past her,” said Ciaron Maher.
“I was toying whether it was winkers or blinkers, but Shocking won the Cup with the blinkers so I thought we’d go with them.
“They (owners) can dare to dream now. The team has done a great job managing her. It has sort of been a long-range plan to get into the Cup. Back here to Flemington with blinkers on, she’ll run two miles no worries.”