Diva’s daughter ready to blossom with spring riches in her sights

REMEMBER Divanation.

The regally bred daughter of three-time Melbourne Cupwinner Makybe Diva, partowned by the Black Caviar syndicate, will look to build on a promising record (4: 2-1-1) in tomorrow’s $75,000 Bill Collins Handicap at Caulfield.

Trainer Tony McEvoy the name, sounded an ominous warning yesterday.

“She has done everything beautifully,” McEvoy said of the four-year-old. “We have never pushed her before, but now we’re due to start asking some questions.

“I think by the spring you’ll see her running in some of the races her mum ran in.”

Divanation, an $18 chance with TAB, charged over the top of her rivals at Geelong last start to score as favourite over 1750m.

But McEvoy expects the mare to relish longer trips.

“I think from here on she’ll start to prove she’s a really talented mare,” he said.

As for hype? It will come.

“I would expect same (the hype),” McEvoy said.

“The ownership group have been incredibly patient.

“The plan was to not rush, they’ve been incredible and enjoyed the ride so far.”

Makybe Diva won the Werribee Cup and Group 2 Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington as a four-year-old, before returning the following year to win her first of three consecutive Melbourne Cups.

But her dominance on turf has yet to be replicated in the breeding barn with Divanation and Rockstardom her only progeny — from six to race — to win outside of maiden grade.

While McEvoy’s hopes for Divanation include potential spring riches, the mare is “absolutely” ready to perform, at odds, at Caulfield tomorrow.

“It’s the first time I have been able to get her out to this distance, which is what I’ve been trying to do for a long time,” he said.

“She’ll be the most comfortable she’s ever been in a race at this trip.”