News

Makybe Diva Colt to Sell at Easter

22nd Jul 2008

In what will be one of the most highly anticipated lots to grace the Inglis sales ring, leading breeder Tony Santic has confirmed that the first foal of three times Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva will be among entries for the 2009 Australian Easter Yearling Sale.

The colt, by Europe’s current leading sire Galileo, will be among a star-studded array of yearlings which Makybe will sell at both the Easter and Melbourne Premier yearling sales next year.

A dual Australian Horse of the Year, Makybe Diva is the highest stakes earner in Australasian racing history and her Galileo colt will be one of the highest profile yearlings to be sold in the world next year.

“He was quite an early foal and he’s a big, strong colt,” Makybe Bloodstock Manager Dean Harvey said.

“He’s quite an impressive individual when you get up close to him and he has a lovely temperament, just like his mum.”

Makybe’s Easter nominations also include a three-quarter brother to Makybe Diva and full-brother to 2005 $2.5million Easter sale topper Musket in the shape of the Redoute’s Choice colt from Tugela.

“This colt oozes class and there’s no doubt he’s going to be a headline horse as well. He will be a standout with a lot of admirers,” Harvey said.

In addition to the two headline acts, Makybe will also be heavily supporting the Melbourne Premier Sale in 2009, with a draft of a dozen classy yearlings by sires including Zabeel, Exceed And Excel and Singspiel.

“We are committed to having a very strong draft in Melbourne to make our presence felt,” Harvey said.

“We have a facility that can house six stallions and we intend to have a strong presence not just with stallions, but yearlings bred by both Tony and our clients.

“Many of our clients are based in Victoria and we intend to support the local industry very strongly and our draft for Melbourne Premier next year will reaffirm that commitment.”

Makybe is already forging a reputation as a seller of top line performers, having sold last year’s Group 1 VRC Oaks winner Arapaho Miss at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale and Exceed and Excel’s first stakes winner Exceedingly Good at Easter.