The Makybe Diva stakes is the headline act on 16/09/23

The intensity of the Australian horse racing season is really starting to take hold, with the Makybe Diva Stakes the headline act on 16th September.

Held at the iconic Flemington racecourse, the race has historically been a breeding ground for some of the biggest and best horses in Australia and it is always well backed with domestic and international betting sites alike.

Who will come out on top in the 2023 Makybe Diva Stakes?

Big races seem to come thick and fast in the heart of the Australian racing season and the Makybe Stakes has always been a contest that sees plenty of traction with the biggest and best Aussie bookmakers.

First ran as the Craiglee Stakes back in 1948, the race at Flemington was renamed to immortalise prolific sprinter Makybe Diva back in 2006.

Chasers such as Fawkner, Gatting and Incentivise have all won this race in the last decade, testament to the prestige of the race and it promises to be another epic encounter at Flemington in 2023. 

Who can stop Mr Brightside?

There is always one horse that catches the eye in the early part of the season, picking up wins in every outing and 2023 has been all about Mr Brightside.

Winning both the Memsie Stakes and the P.B. Lawrence Stakes is testament to the regard in which this horse is held and the Makybe Diva Stakes looks to be even more in its wheelhouse.

The Hayes family trained 6-year-old has already pocketed the best part of A$9 million and it is absolutely the horse to beat in the 2023 Makybe Diva Stakes with many betting sites.

Racing under the familiar conditions here at Flemington is another tick in the box for many punters for Mr Brightside in this one and if it gets any sort of run, it could make it three wins out of three for the 2023 season.

Mr. Brightside is the market leader for the 2023 Makybe Diva Stakes at $2.40 favourite with Bet365.

Alligator smells blood

The beauty of a field as packed as the 2023 Makybe Diva Stakes is that it pits the best against the best and Alligator Blood has real strong claims in this one.

Doubters will point to the Memsie Stakes as the rationale for going against Alligator Blood, but the 7-year-old has proved plenty of naysayers wrong previously.

Finishing 4th in the Memsie Stakes doesn’t tell the whole story and there is a feeling that connections are hoping to see steady improvements from Alligator Blood as the season develops.

Conditions at Flemington should be a better suit and if it gets a good run, it should be more than capable of pushing Mr Brightside in this one.

Seeing these two speedsters go at it again is what everybody will hope for at the Makybe Diva Stakes and Alligator Blood has a strong shot with old and new betting sites alike. 

Alligator Blood is making plenty of movements in the betting market and is $5.00 with BoomBet to clinch Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. 

Fangirl to outlast the Princess?

There are plenty of claims for so many horses in the 2023 Makybe Diva Stakes field and punters are truly spoilt for choice with most betting apps.

Winx Stakes winner Fangirl is a horse that is slowly catching the eye of many in the business, and it looks primed and ready to challenge on a bigger scale in 2023.

The 5-year-old mare is seriously quick and should relish conditions here at Flemington, especially if the weather stays relatively dry.

Perhaps the forgotten offering in the market, Fangirl represents serious value in this one at $11.00 with UniBet.

Meanwhile, for Princess Grace, the Makybe Diva Stakes is a real opportunity to stake a claim for the season ahead.

The American 6-year-old was beaten by Mr. Brightside in the Memsie Stakes and Fangirl in the Winx, with pace the issue on both occasions.

Princess Grace is a horse with serious racing credentials, and it should go well at Flemington, but a performance is needed to back up the hype in the eyes of many Aussie bookmakers.

Coming in at $7.00 here with GetSetBet, Princess Grace will be another to keep an eye on in the 2023 Makybe Diva Stakes.

The 2023 Australian horse racing season is in full swing, and it is the Makybe Diva Stakes from Flemington that has tongues wagging and action happening with the major online betting sites. 

Mr. Brightside is topping the betting, but with the likes of Fangirl, Princess Grace, and Alligator Blood also in the mix, it promises to be another race to remember in Victoria.