Crown Makybe Diva Stakes Day recap

Group 1 stroll for Sheza Alibi

Sheza Alibi has stamped herself as one of Australia's best with a demolition job in the Crown Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.

The Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained mare became the first female galloper to win the Makybe Diva since the race attained Group 1 status in 2013.

Sent out the $1.60 favourite under Luke Nolen, Sheza Alibi raced away to a 2-¾ length win from Autumn Boy ($20) with Another Wil ($101) a neck away third.

“She loves defying history, this girl, and I think she's going to continue to do it as her career progresses,” Coleman said.

“She looked like she did that quite easily today, which is incredible, when you look at the horses that she was up against.

“She is very, very special and it means so much to our stable.”

Nolen, who partnered Black Caviar in the majority of her 25 victories and has been associated with many of Moody's top Group 1 performers, said he does not know where Sheza Alibi could eventually get to.

“We don't know her ceiling yet, so that's the exciting part of it,” Nolen said.

“Outwardly she doesn't stand out, even as a trackworker she doesn't stand out, but she's all racehorse.”

Shockletz earns Lexus Melbourne Cup berth

A plan, 12 months in the making, has come to fruition with Shockletz winning her way into the Lexus Melbourne Cup (3200m).

A daughter of 2009 Melbourne Cup winner Shocking, Shockletz earned a ‘Golden Ticket' into the race that stop a nation® by scoring in the Group 3 Lexus Archer Stakes (2500m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Sporting blinkers for the first time, Shockletz was sent out the $2.90 favourite under Harry Coffey before scoring a 2-¼ length win from Think Giant ($9) with Jennivamoose ($6.50) a length away third.

Trainer Ciaron Maher has had success with racing stayers through the winter months and getting into the Cups and said Shockletz reminded him of High Emocean who ran third in the 2022 Lexus Melbourne Cup.

“She's a lighter style mare that doesn't take a lot of work, like High Emocean, is clean winded and you just have to have them happy and well,” Maher said.

“The longer the prep, not a lot of work, suits her.

“Thankfully the little tinker, and a good ride by Harry, we were very confident watching the race.”

Paradoxium stamps authority on Flemington straight

Trainer Bjorn Baker had a flash back to his former Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) winner Ozzmosis, as Paradoxium raced his way down the Flemington straight.

Paradoxium took out the Group 3 Schweppes Poseidon Stakes (1100m) at Flemington on Saturday as a lead-up to follow Ozzmosis in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

It was Paradoxium's first start in Melbourne on Saturday and Baker said it was the ideal lead-in to returning to Flemington at the end of October to run in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

Ridden by Jason Collett, Paradoxium ($3.50) led throughout to score by a length from the $2.80 favourite Mbube with Big Sky ($8.50) a half-neck away third.

“That's exciting seeing a beautiful colt like that,” Baker said.

“He's got a great attitude and a great action. Speaking pre-race, I did everything but declare him.

“Hopefully we can get back here for the Coolmore. He reminded me a bit of Ozzmosis half-way through that run.

“You dream, and you dream big.”

Losesomewinmore continues Flemington straight form

Punters were dealt a blow with the defeat of odds-one favourite Oliveanotherday in the Group 2 HKJC World Pool Bobbie Lewis Quality (1200m) Flemington.

The Tom Dabernig-trained sprinter was sent out the $1.60 favourite in the 1200-metre Group 2 sprint down the Flemington straight on Saturday but never looked comfortable at his first appearance on the testing track, finishing fifth.

Under the guidance of Craig Williams, Losesomewinmore held a path towards the inside section of the track in scoring by a long-neck from Hedged ($13) with Enxuto ($151) a long-head away third.

Losesomewinmore is prepared by Adelaide based father-and-daughter trainers Richard and Chantelle Jolly who last year set up a satellite base at Flemington.

The gelding is now a six-time winner down the straight at Flemington over distances ranging from 1000m to 1200m with the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) back at Flemington on October 3 the likely next option.

“I don't think there's any reason to take him around a corner for the rest of the spring,” Jolly said.

“The Gilgai is coming up, there are some nice Moonee Valley races going to other tracks, so we'll be mindful of where he's going to be weighted the best.

“He got in really well today with the 53 (kilos) which obviously made a big difference.”

Zahra, Walker combine to honour Moroney

Champagne is generally Mark Zahra's choice of celebratory beverage, but he pledged to mix things up on Saturday night after scoring a special win early in the Flemington card.

The gun jockey took out the inaugural edition of the $175,000 Listed Michael Moroney (1400m), a race named after the late former trainer, aboard Kiwi filly Lara Antipova.

Zahra was a regular rider for Moroney, who enjoyed great success in Australia based at Flemington, riding 57 winners – including three at Group 1 level – and vowed to celebrate the win with Moroney's favourite drop.

“It's very special, he was a good friend of mine, I rode a lot of winners for him (and he was) just all round great bloke,” Zahra said.

“No one had anything bad to say about him, so an absolute privilege (to win).

“I have a glass of red for Mike tonight.”

Lara Antipova is trained by Moroney's countryman Mark Walker, who worked alongside the Melbourne Cup winner before he came to Australia, and Walker was pleased to see the well-performed filly stand up in Australia.

“It's great today for the New Zealand industry that our form stacks up,” Walker said.

“She is a Group 1 winner at home and I know this is a Listed race, but it was a quality field today, so it's just really good when our form stacks up.

“Hopefully we go on to a Thousand Guineas from here.”

Satono Glow a straight-track star

John O'Shea and Tom Charlton didn't plan to start Satono Glow's campaign in the Cap d'Antibes Stakes, but her impressive win might have ensured it's not the last time she is seen on that strip of turf this campaign.

The three-year-old filly made it two wins from as many starts at Flemington when she edged out Over Excited in the $175,000 Listed event over 1100m.

Charlton said he came to Flemington unsure where the daughter of Japanese stallion Satono Aladdin would lead he and O'Shea this campaign, but she might have made the decision for them.

She is now a big chance to return to Melbourne on Howden Victoria Derby Day for the $2 million Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).

“We came into today just thinking whether we may go up and trip or stay where we are and, I guess, we might have answered that,” he said.

“But she's really classy and has a great group of owners who will support us with allowing us to buy them fillies every year and they've been well rewarded.”

The Cap d'Antibes was a memorable race for O'Shea and Charlton, who also had $16 chance Scintillation run third.

Welcome to Flemington, Donaldson-Aitken

Young Ballarat trainer Tyler Donaldson-Aitken will not ever forget Crown Makybe Diva Stakes Day 2026 after landing a milestone victory with the star of his stable, Welcometotheshow.

The gritty galloper provided Donaldson-Aitken with his maiden Black Type, at what was his 50th starter, in the $175,000 Listed De Bortoli Tontonan Stakes (1400m).

Welcometotheshow, with Craig Newitt aboard, outlasted horses trained by international Group 1 winner Henry Dwyer (Cote Atlantique), Lindasy Park's Hayes brothers (Cafe Millenium) and big-race specialist Danny O'Brien (Sass Appeal) to provide Donaldson-Aitken with the thrill of his career.

“It means a lot,” he said.

“It means a lot to the team, as well. Horses only run well when you've got them happy and you've got the right people behind them.

“So a big thank you to everyone involved. Big thank you to my partner, Briony, she's a big support of mine and to come here and get a win like this, it's massive.”

Donaldson-Aitken now has the enjoyable job of trying to work out where to raise the bar next with the five-year-old entire, but not before properly celebrating the magnitude of Saturday's win.

“I'm pretty over-tired, so I wouldn't mind going home having a rest,” he said, knowing there was no chance that was happening.

“All the guys are here, the missus is here, so we'll go to have some dinner, we'll have a good time and we'll treat everyone and make the most of the win.

“They're few and far between and we'll make a big deal of it.”

Pondalowie prevails in Let's Elope upset

Just when punters had thought Sheza Alibi's Crown Makybe Diva Stakes win had got things back on track after Oliveanotherday's defeat in the HKJC World Pool Bobbie Lewis Quality, Pondalowie stepped up with the shock of the day in the Asahi Super Dry Let's Elope Stakes (1400m).

The Deep Field six-year-old, who is trained by David and Emma-Lee Browne at Pakenham, posted the first Group 2 win of her career when she stormed over the top of her rivals in the 1400m event as a $51 chance.

It was the fourth win of a 22-start career that has been plagued by bad luck, but winning jockey Lachlan Neindorf said this time, unlike the others, he almost went in search of it.

“I spoke to my form man – he's a genius and massive shout out to him, James Jordan – and he said, ‘I'm so convinced with this horse you need to ride it almost for bad luck',” Neindorf said.

“I found a lot of bad luck. She was in what seemed like an unwinnable position at the 200, but that's when she really let really lets and she let rip today and she got over top.”

Pondalowie got home by a short-half-head from another roughie, $21 chance Too Darn Discreet, with On Display ($6) – who was hailed the winner when well clear at the 150m – a half-back third in a race in which $2.10 favourite Gold Coast Belle finishing a disappointing seventh.