Makybe Diva Stakes Kick Off For Voluese De Coeurs

Trainer Mike Moroney has confirmed that imported Irish stayer Voleuse De Coeurs will begin her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival campaign in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13.

Voleuse De Coeurs is set to start her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington in September.

Voleuse De Coeurs is set to start her 2014 Spring Racing Carnival in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington in September. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Voleuse De Coeurs had a short stint in the spelling paddock after she finished a disappointing 12th in the Group 1 Sydney Cup (3200m) at Royal Randwick on April 19 and Moroney told TVN this morning that the Teofilo mare was on track to return to the races in the Makybe Diva Stakes.

“She’s up to doing strong pace work and she looks good and her work suggests she has really come on,” Moroney said.

“She has a thick woolly coat now so she has certainly acclimatised.

“She will probably resume in the Makybe Diva before running in either the Turnbull Stakes or the Underwood Stakes.”

Moroney revealed last month that the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 18 and Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 4 would be the major the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival targets for the Irish St Leger winning mare and she will have just one more start after the Makybe Diva Stakes, in either the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on September 20 or the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 4, before running in the Caulfield Cup.

Voleuse De Coeurs is still chasing her first race win in Australia after finishing tenth in the Melbourne Cup during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival and fifth in both the Group 1 Australian Cup (2000m) and Group 1 The BMW (2400m) before finishing 12th in the Sydney Cup during her autumn campaign.

Moroney famously won the 2000 edition of the Melbourne Cup with Brew, but is chasing his first win in both the Makybe Diva Stakes, after finishing second with Glass Harmonium in 2011 and the Caulfield Cup – a race in which he has had just one placing (Monaco Consul in 2010) from eight runners.

Voleuse De Coeurs is currently available at odds of $41 in the 2014 Caulfield Cup betting market with Ladbrokes Australia and is priced at 2014 Melbourne Cup odds of $41.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.