Makybe Diva won the Melbourne Cup three consecutive times from 2003 to 2005.
She first won Australia’s most famous staying race in 2003, carrying 52 kilograms at Flemington Racecourse. In 2004 she became only the fourth horse to win the Melbourne Cup twice, and in 2005 she made history as the first horse to win it three times.
Makybe Diva was trained by David Hall for her first two Melbourne Cups and by Lee Freedman for her third. Her 2005 victory was achieved over the longer 3,200-metre course, a distance that tests stamina more than the speed emphasized by many modern races.
Her name combines parts of the names of five of owner Tony Santic’s daughters. Makybe Diva retired after the 2005 season and became one of the most celebrated horses in Australian racing history.