Via Sistina to become Chris Waller’s shortest-priced Makybe Diva Stakes runner

When Chris Waller won the first Makybe Diva Stakes at Group 1 level, it could have been taken as a sign of things to come.

Prior to its elevation, the champion Sydney trainer's only runner in the 1600-metre event was Danleigh, who ran fourth in 2010.

But Foreteller's win as a $15 chance in 2013 has hardly opened the floodgates. Waller has had only 11 Makybe Diva Stakes runners since, with last year's third placegetter Osipenko his only other top-three finisher.

Immediately behind Osipenko last year was stablemate Princess Grace, who started $5.50.

The only Waller-trained horse to start shorter in a Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes was Boban, who did so twice – unplaced at $4 in 2014 and at $4.60 in 2015.

His only other runner to start sub-$13 was Comin' Through, who ran sixth at $8 in 2018.

Chris Waller's Makybe Diva Stakes runners

2010 – Danleigh 4th at $5
2013 – Foreteller WON at $15
2014 – Boban 5th at $4
2015 – Boban 4th at $4.60, Weary 9th at $15
2018 – Comin' Through 6th at $8
2019 – Kings Will Dream 8th at $13, Nights Watch 9th at $67
2020 – Kings Will Dream 10th at $13
2021 – Imaging 6th at $17
2023 – Osipenko 3rd at $15, Princess Grace 4th at $5.50, Francesco Guardi 5th at $26

Via Sistina will become the Hall of Fame trainer's shortest-priced Makybe Diva Stakes runner when she contests the weight-for-age event at Flemington this Saturday.

It marks a change in approach to the Melbourne spring from Waller, who traditionally has not sent his biggest names, mares especially, south along the Hume Hwy until October.

Winx and Verry Elleegant were regular visitors to Melbourne but neither made their seasonal Victorian debut prior to Turnbull Stakes Day.

Via Sistina does not boast the record of that pair but firmly belongs in A-grader category and she is not only $2.30 favourite for Saturday's race, but also heads Cox Plate betting.

But the Makybe Diva Stakes has been something of a bogey race when it comes to the Cox Plate, particularly this century.

Eight times the Makybe Diva winner has also won the Cox Plate, but only once since 1990 and that was Northerly 22 years ago.

He remains the most recent Cox Plate winner to have come through the Makybe Diva Stakes, with 41 horses having contested both races in the same spring since.

The past two winners – Mr Brightside and I'm Thunderstruck – were both narrowly beaten in the Cox Plate, however, as was Humidor in 2017, while Pompeii Ruler (2006) is the other Makybe Diva winner to run a place since Northerly.

Saturday's race also contains Melbourne Cup favourite Circle Of Fire and the Makybe Diva Stakes has been an even worse guide to that race with Jeune (1994) the last of the 14 Melbourne Cup winners to have come through the race that was first run as the Craiglee Stakes in 1948.