Third Group 1 win as Reset’s Fawkner wins Makybe Diva Stakes

Despite the fact that he was making his first start since last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup, the veteran gelding Fawkner showed no signs of rust when picking up his third Group 1 win in Saturday’s G1 Makybe Diva S. Previously the winner of the 2013 G1 Caulfield Cup, the grey finished a narrow second to the standout Dissident (Aus) (Sebring {Aus}) first-up in this last year before adding the G1 Caulfield S. over subsequent G1 Queen Elizabeth S. victor Criterion (NZ) (Sebring {Aus}). He was edged out by Irish raider Adelaide (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the G1 Cox Plate two weeks later before finishing slightly better than midpack in 10th in the Melbourne Cup. Set to contest last weekend’s G1 Memsie S. at Caulfield, Fawkner was scratched due to a wide draw and therefore was conceding fitness to a number of his rivals Saturday. That proved little problem, however, as he raced just off the speed under Damien Oliver and worked his way toward the lead rounding the bend. The pair hit the front at the 200 meter mark and held off the stubborn mare Rising Romance on the line. “He’s a ripper, this horse,” Oliver said. “He’s an 8-year-old but he’s had the best life at the Williams stable. They’ve really looked after him and he keeps repaying them.”

Saturday, Flemington, Australia
MAKYBE DIVA S.-G1, A$402,000, VRC, 9-12, 3yo/up, Open Weight, 1600mT, 1:37.96, Good.
1–FAWKNER, 59.0, g, 8, by Reset
1st Dam: Dane Belltar (GSW & MG1SP-Aus, $A346,320), by Danewin
2nd Dam : Ameerat-Blaadi, by Kenmare (FR)
3rd Dam: Taj Eclipse, by Taj Rossi
(A$70,000 Ylg 2009 WI Melbourne Premier Yearling
Sale) O-N C Williams, Mr & Mrs L J Williams; B-Mr S
Bennetts SA; T-Robert Hickmott; J-D Oliver;
A$242,000. Lifetime Record: 27-11-5-3,
A$3,674,751. *1/2 to Tanby (Galileo {Ire}), MGSW
& G1SP-Aus, A$1,096,695); and Viking Star (Red
Ransom {USA}), GSP-Aus, A$144,910). Werk Nick
Rating: A+++ *Triple Plus*. Click for the
eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Rising Romance (NZ), 57.0, m, 5, Ekraar (USA)–
Post Romance (NZ), by Postponed (USA). O-N J &
Mrs V M Carter, M R Powell & B H Carter; B-Carter
Bloodstock Ltd, Auckland, NZ; T-David Hayes & Tom
Dabernig; J-Damian Lane; A$72,000.
3–Entirely Platinum (NZ), 59.0, g, 6, Pentire (GB)–
Platinum Blond (NZ), by Kaapstad (NZ). (NZ$520,000Ylg 2011 NZB National Yearling Sale) O-N Giorgetta,
G P I Racing (Mgr: G Ingham), B & G McAlister (Mgr:
Mrs G McAlister), D Russo, R Mitchell, G Evans, W
Forrest & Mrs G Martinovich; B-Windsor Park Stud
Ltd, Waikato, NZ; T-M, W & J Hawkes; J-D Dunn;
A$36,000.
Margins: 0.2 len, 0.4 len, 0.5 len. Odds: 3.80, 14.00, 14.00. Also Ran: Boban, Happy Trails, Alpine Eagle, Mongolian Khan, Gust of Wind (NZ), Weary (FR), Hi World, Dandino (GB), Magicool, Awesome Rock, Volkstok’n’barrell (NZ).
Click for the Racing Post result or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.