Sheza Alibi wins Makybe Diva

MELBOURNE – Sheza Alibi has stamped herself as one of Australia’s best with a demolition job in the A$750,000 (S$681,000) Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1,600m) at Flemington on Sept 12.

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 $8 favourite under Luke Nolen, Sheza Alibi raced away to a 2¾-length win from Autumn Boy (Mark Zahra) with Another Wil (John Allen) a neck away in third.

The race panned out perfectly for Sheza Alibi, who began well and allowed Nolen to ride the mare closer to the speed.

Coleman said the daughter of Saxon Warrior can be a little slow to jump as she was when devastating in her Group 1 Doncaster Mile (1,600m) triumph at Randwick on Apr 4.

She did it again first-up when she drew an inside gate but finished second to Autumn Glow in the Group 1 Winx Stakes (1,400m) on Aug 22.

“She began better today, she put herself there, travelled sweetly,” said Coleman.

“It was a beautiful ride from Luke and he had her in that position where she was going to be able to get mobile when he needed to.

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

“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.”

Coleman said Sheza Alibi was a physically improved mare from the one that that was successful twice at Group 1 level last season.

Before the Doncaster Mile, Sheza Alibi won her maiden Group 1 in the Randwick Guineas (1,600m) on March 7.

“She’s probably come back more of a finished product this time around,” she said.

“She’s always been a lovely horse to look at, but she has developed, is bigger and stronger and hopefully we continue to see that.”

Between the Group 1 Cox Plate (2,040m) at Flemington on Oct 24 and the Group 1 The Golden Eagle (1,500m) at Randwick a week later on Oct 31, Coleman said the latter was appealing with its A$10 million prize purse on offer.

“I would say we’re still geared towards the Golden Eagle, but never make decisions on race day,” she said.

Nolen, who partnered the legendary 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,” he said.

“Outwardly, she doesn’t stand out, even as a trackworker she doesn’t stand out, but she’s all racehorse.” SKY RACING WORLD