2026 Crown Makybe Diva Stakes Contenders

This year’s edition can lay claim to being the best ever held.

Between the 13 starters there are 12 individual Group 1 winners of 34 races headed by Mr Brightside whose tally includes already a record three wins in the Crown Makybe Diva Stakes.

Treasurethe Moment is next with four Group 1 wins, then Light Infantry Man, Sir Delius and Aeliana have won three at the elite level.

Half Yours, Autumn Boy, Sheza Alibi and Ohope Wins have each won two Group 1s and Buckaroo, Birdman and Another Wil have won one at the top level.

Only She’s A Hustler has yet to taste success at Group 1 level.

The most interest will centre on Mr Brightside as he strives to make it four wins in a feature race which would put his name alongside the immortals of the turf such as Winx and Manikato in addition to household names such as Tie The Knot and Lord who have achieved that feat.

The Crown Makybe Diva Stakes will herald Half Yours’ return to Flemington for the first time since his historic Lexus Melbourne Cup win when he became the 13th horse to complete the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup doubles.

Then there’s the likes of Sir Delius and Sheza Alibi who are two of Australia’s best horses.

It’s going to be a memorable race.

Can Mr Brightside deny a star-studded field to claim a historic fourth Crown Makybe Diva Stakes? We take a look at some of the contenders for this year’s edition. 

Evergreen mainstay of Australian racing who already is the title holder for most wins in this race which he achieved when he made it three wins in a row last year. The nine-year-old gelding demonstrated he still has a lot to offer with his first-up second in the Memsie Stakes which was the same form line he took into last year’s win in this race when he was also second-up. He’s ideally drawn and looks a great each-way chance.

The hero of last spring carnival who returns to Flemington for the first time since his triumphant victory in the Lexus Melbourne Cup where Jamie Melham found a needle eye opening to gain a run in the straight. He is one of only 13 horses to have completed the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double. He hasn’t fired in four subsequent northern states runs since. He also finished fourth in last year’s TAB Turnbull Stakes at his only other Flemington start. He should be charging home.

He has a penchant for Flemington having won the last two TAB Australian Cups and he hasn’t raced at the track since his win in that race in March this year. He finished third in the 2025 All-Star Mile behind Tom Kitten and Mr Brightside. He battled on well for first-up fourth behind Detonator Jack in a Benchmark 100 at Caulfield on August 15. His best form is over 2000m but he will be competitive.

He’s one of Australia’s best gallopers who is yet to run a bad race since joining the Waterhouse/Bott stable where he’s recorded three wins from seven starts including two wins at Group 1 level and four placings. He races well fresh and he took out the TAB Turnbull Stakes (2000m) last year at his only Flemington run defeating Antino, Via Sistina and Half Yours. He demonstrated his class again last autumn where he won the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at his last start.

Under-rated galloper who resumed with an excellent finishing effort for fifth in the Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield where his best work was late when he came home from well back to finish less than four lengths from the winner. His class was shown last spring when he finished second in the Cox Plate to Via Sistina. He will be suited by the rise in distance to 1600m. He finished second in the 2024 TAB Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington.

He has taken his game to another level in 2026. Second-up earlier this year he claimed the G2 Blamey Stakes at this track and distance before he won the G2 Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield. He carried that form through to the Brisbane winter carnival where he finished second in the G1 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) at the Gold Coast before winning the G1 Doomben Cup (2000m). He finished strongly from last for a first-up sixth in the Memsie Stakes.

2025 C.F. Orr Stakes winner who hasn’t been victorious since. He has had two starts at Flemington over 1600m for a win in a Benchmark 84 and an unlucky fourth in the 2025 Group 1 All-Star Mile (1600m). He showed with his close-up fourth in the Group 1 Kingsford-Smith Cup (1300m) at Eagle Farm in May he still has something to offer although his his final start of his last campaign where he finished last in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) and then a ninth-placed finish in a Benchmark 100 (1400m) at Caulfield this time in suggests he needs to find some form.

He proved himself one of Australia’s best three-year-olds with wins in the Caulfield Guineas and the Rosehill Guineas, he also finished second to Sheza Alibi in the Doncaster Mile last autumn. He resumed with a slightly disappointing first-up eighth in the Memsie Stakes at Caulfield although he was held up between the 400m and the 300m mark and was beaten close to five lengths. He will be much better suited over 1600m and has the quality to bounce back in his first outing at Flemington.

She took her game to another level last autumn when she won successive Group 1 races at Rosehill where she was successful in the Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and the Tancred Stakes (2400m). She didn’t fire when she resumed in the fast run Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick behind star mare Autumn Glow. Her jockey Nash Rawiller was satisfied with the performance saying her best work was over the last 200m. She finished second in this race last year to Mr Brightside.

After being Australia’s champion three-year-old filly, she graduated as a four-year-old mare to being a mainstay in the top-level races since having had nine starts for two wins, two seconds, three thirds and two fourths competing at the top level. She didn’t lose any admirers with her first-up fourth in the Memsie Stakes. She’s had four starts at Flemington for three wins including the Group 1 Crown Oaks (2500m). She has had five second-up starts for four wins and a second. Great each-way chance.

Capable mare who has won seven of her 15 starts but is yet to prove herself at this class. She’s had four starts this year consisting of two in Sydney and then two in Brisbane at either Group 1 or Group 2 level for a best result of a third in the Hollindale Cup (1800m) behind Pride Of Jenni. She’s being aimed at big spring features like the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the Group 1 Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m). Look for her to be running on and she could be a sneaky place chance.

Star mare who began her career in Northern Queensland and after showing early talent she was transferred to Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman where she has developed into one of the best horses in the land. She put together five consecutive wins culminating in the Randwick Guineas and the Doncaster Mile. She lost no admirers with her first-up second to reigning Australian Horse Of The Year, Autumn Glow in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick. She’s had one start at Flemington for a win and she will be very hard to beat.

Star Kiwi mare who boasted two Oaks wins as a three-year-old filly scoring in the New Zealand Oaks (2400m) and then when she was transferred to Chris Waller the ATC Oaks (2400m) at Randwick. She’s being set for the feature staying races. She will need to improve off her first-up last in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Her rider Damian Lane said she was slow into stride and then struggled with the fast speed in the race. She will run a better race.