From the Melbourne Age:
Rivals dodge Diva's tilt at history
By Andrew Eddy October 17, 2005
AUSTRALIA'S champion Makybe Diva is likely to have just 11 opponents as she attempts to become Australasia's leading prizemoney earner in Saturday's $3 million Cox Plate at Moonee Valley.
A total of 34 horses were paid up at third acceptance time earlier this month, but as many as 22 of those will drop out when final payment of $16,500 is due at 8.30am tomorrow, following the annual Breakfast With The Best gallops.
Makybe Diva, who sizzled in a special gallop at Moonee Valley on Saturday morning in her final piece of fast work before Saturday's showdown, will earn $1.8 million if she can add this year's Cox Plate to her incredible record, to take her career earnings to $11,401,685 and surpass dual Cox Plate champion Sunline on $11,201,607.
A decision will then be made on whether the seven-year-old mare can indeed ensure her legend lives on in Australian racing for centuries to come by chasing a unique third consecutive victory in the Melbourne Cup just 10 days later.
Several well-credentialled horses will bypass the Cox Plate as their connections realise it is folly to take on Makybe Diva and company, while for others different goals are higher on the agenda.
The highly rated pair of Plastered and Perlin, who were to be aimed at Saturday's Cox Plate, will now meet in the group 2 Cathay Pacific Airways Cup (Moonee Valley Cup, 2500 metres) on the same day instead after connections abandoned plans to run in the 2040 metre weight-for-age event.
Owner Lloyd Williams said that the Melbourne Cup preparation for Perlin had meant he was now too "one-paced" for a Cox Plate, and he would appreciate the extra distance of the Moonee Valley Cup.
Plastered ran home fairly for seventh place in the Caulfield Cup but connections want to ensure he is fit on Melbourne Cup day so have chosen the longer race as his final lead-in to the cup.
Confectioner will need no help from the Moonee Valley committee to make the field as the Cox Plate has a maximum field number of 14, and there are certain to be no more than 14 acceptors tomorrow. It is not known whether 2004 Caulfield Guineas winner Econsul or Japan's Tosen Dandy will accept.
Confectioner was denied a run in the Caulfield Cup because he was so far down the elimination order and was not promoted into the field by the Melbourne Racing Club committee. He will go from the Cox Plate to the Sandown Classic next month and then to the Hong Kong international series in December.
Trainer John Hawkes will not look to add a Cox Plate to the Caulfield Cup he won with Railings. He said yesterday that none of his four remaining entrants Studebaker, Ike's Dream, Dizelle or Shania Dane was in good enough form to contest the Cox Plate.
Two of the remaining three-year-olds will start in the race, with Stephen Baster to ride God's Own for Bart Cummings while Jay Ford rides Hotel Grand for Cummings' son Anthony. Fellow three-year-olds Danger Looms and the Golden Slipper Stakes winner Stratum are being aimed at lesser events.
LIKELY FIELD
Greys Inn W. Marwing 58
Lad Of The Manor B. Johns 58
Super Kid N. Rawiller 58
Confectioner C. Williams 58
Desert War L. Cassidy 58
Fields Of Omagh S. King 58
Xcellent M. Coleman 56.5
Outback Prince D. Beadman 56.5
Makybe Diva G. Boss 55.5
Lotteria C. Munce 54
God's Own S. Baster 48.5
Hotel Grand J. Ford 48.5
Possible final acceptors: Tosen Dandy, Econsul
MARKET
$2.35 Makybe Diva
$6.50 God's Own
$7.50 Xcellent
$9.50 Lad Of The Manor
$13 Greys Inn, Hotel Grand
$15 Fields Of Omagh, Confectioner
$17 Super Kid
$26 Perlin, Desert War
If I wasn't on at 5/1 I'd still be getting plenty on and still will.
