Makybe Diva booked to Lonhro

In a fairytale result for the Australian thoroughbred purist, Darley and Makybe Racing & Breeding have confirmed Makybe Diva will be covered this season by leading sire Lonhro.

Makybe Diva was the winner of an unequalled three G1 Melbourne Cups and still holds the record for the most prizemoney won in Australia and New Zealand ($14.52 million).  Her progeny includes an unraced $1.5m 2yo colt named Rockstardom who is currently preparing for a spring campaign and a $1.2m filly purchased by trainer Mark Kavanagh.

Together Lonhro and Makybe Diva won 41 races, 18 of which were at G1 level and over $20 million in prizemoney.

“We feel honoured that the Makybe team have selected Lonhro for this iconic mare,” Henry Plumptre, Darley’s managing director in Australia, stated.  “I have tremendous respect for what Tony and Deslee Santic have achieved as breeders in a short period of time from their Makybe operation and their record speaks for itself.  I hope this will continue with this very exciting mating of champions.”

Lonhro has enjoyed a stellar start to his breeding career siring no fewer than 15 black type winners including G1 Golden Rose winner and new Darley stallion Denman.  This season he has sired an impressive 12 individual stakes winners and sits comfortably atop the leading third-season sires’ table with his runners amassing over $7 million in prize money.

“We are very excited to be sending Makybe Diva to Lonhro, given his outstanding success both as a racehorse and stallion,” Tony and Deslee Santics said.  “We have retained shares in both of Makybe Diva’s offspring to date and are very much looking forward to seeing them, and her future foals hit the track.”