Legendary Australian racehorse Makybe Diva has died at the age of 26.
Makybe Diva, the only horse to win the Melbourne Cup three times, died on Saturday after a short battle with colic – a gastrointestinal problem in horses.
“From the day she came into our lives, she was never just a racehorse, she was family,” owner Tony Santic said in a statement.
“She gave us moments that Australia will never forget, but more than that, she gave us joy every day. She was loved from the start and she remained loved all her life.”
No horse since Think Big in 1975 had achieved multiple Melbourne Cup victories until the British-born Makybe Diva, and no horse has achieved that since.
Her place in Australian sporting folklore was sealed when Glen Boss rode her to a third consecutive Cup win in 2005, with caller Greg Miles calling it the moment ‘when a champion becomes a legend’.
Makybe Diva had spent her days at Santic’s Gnarwarre farm, having retired from racing after the 2005 Melbourne Cup.
Outside of the race that stops a country, Makybe Diva claimed the 2005 Cox Plate among her 15 wins from 36 starts.
She earned $14.5 million in prize money during her career and was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2006.
Makybe Diva took its unusual name from the first two letters from five Santic employees: Maureen, Kylie, Belinda, Diane and Vanessa.
Victoria Racing Club chairman Neil Wilson was among those to pay tribute following news of her death.
“Makybe Diva was more than a champion, she truly transcended racing,” he said.
“Her three consecutive Melbourne Cup victories are among the most iconic achievements in Australian sporting history, and the memories she created will never be forgotten.”
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