Three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva has died at 27 after a sudden health battle with colic.
Makybe Diva was residing at owner Tony Santic’s farm in Gnarwarre, Victoria when she died on Saturday morning as a result of the gastrointestinal condition. She was understood to be otherwise fit and healthy.
Inside Makybe Diva’s ‘impossible’ third Cup win
Colic, a general term for abdominal pain, is understood to be a common condition in horses of Makybe Diva’s age. Most instances of colic can pass quickly with minimal intervention required, while others can prove to be life-threatening.
Causes for colic are varied and can be a result of stress, diet or a twisted intestine.
The champion racehorse combined with jockey Glen Boss to create history between 2003 and 2005, and is still the only horse in history to win the Melbourne Cup three years in a row.
“From the day she came into our lives, she was never just a racehorse, she was family,” Santic said in a statement.
“She gave us moments Australia will never forget, but more than that, she gave us joy every single day. She was loved from the beginning, and she stayed loved for her whole life.”
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Makybe Diva was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2006 following a tremendous 2005 season in which she also took out the Cox Plate, Australian Cup, BMW Stakes, Memsie Stakes and Turnbull Stakes, as well as the Melbourne Cup.
News of Makybe Diva’s death sparked tributes from around the Australian horse racing community, including one from Victorian Racing Club chairman Neil Wilson.
“Makybe Diva was more than a champion — she truly transcended the sport of racing,” Wilson said in a statement.
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“Her three consecutive Melbourne Cup victories stand among the most iconic achievements in Australian sporting history, and the memories she created will never be forgotten.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to her connections, and to the broader racing community who will feel the significance of this loss.”
Race caller Greg Miles, who commentated on each of Makybe Diva’s three Melbourne Cup wins, called her the “greatest Melbourne Cup winner we’ve seen in our lifetime” in an interview with ABC Sport.
Makybe Diva took her unusual name from the first two letters of five of Santic’s employees: Maureen, Kylie, Belinda, Diane and Vanessa.
She netted $14.5 million in prize money throughout her career.