Sheza Alibi Magnificent in Makybe Diva Victory

Sheza Alibi (AUS) showed she was well and truly on the path to greatness when she stormed to a breathtakingly dominant victory in the Sept. 12 Makybe Diva Stakes (G1). Any doubts about her weight-for-age capabilities stemming from her last start second to the great Autumn Glow (AUS) when resuming in the Winx Stakes (G1) were emphatically quashed at Flemington Racecourse. The 4-year-old filly powered home by 2 3/4 lengths in an imperious win—her eighth from 12 starts and third at the elite level—which showed she could be unwinding a career every bit as special as Autumn Glow's, or any number of the finest racemares this country has seen. Superbly ridden by Luke Nolen, the mare, trained by Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman, found a perfect position from gate 5 of 15, midfield one off the fence, as Treasurethe Moment (AUS) and Another Wil (AUS) led out at a solid clip. As the field spread on the turn, Sheza Alibi strolled effortlessly towards the leaders out wide and, with Nolen unflinching, appeared the winner a long way from home. She took the lead at the 250 meters and scored in arrogant style as AU$1.60 favorite from Autumn Boy (AUS), Chris Waller's 2025 Caulfield Guineas (G1) winner who showed he could also be in for an impressive spring 4-year-old campaign. Ciaron Maher's Another Wil took third. "It's incredibly special," Coleman said. "She loves defying history, this girl, and I think she's going to continue to do it as her career progresses. "She looked like she did that quite easily today, which is incredible, when you look at the horses that she was up against. She is very, very special and it means so much to our stable. A massive thank you to everyone who has been a part of it." Coleman said it was a "bigger and stronger" Sheza Alibi who had returned as a spring 4-year-old, with her main goal likely the AU$10 million Golden Eagle (G1) for that age group Oct. 31 at Randwick Racecourse. "She's probably come back more of a finished product this time around," Coleman said. "She's always been a lovely horse to look at. She has developed, is bigger and stronger and hopefully we continue to see that. "I would say we're still geared towards the Golden Eagle, but never make decisions on race day." Sheza Alibi is the stand-out performer worldwide for her sire Saxon Warrior (JPN), who shuttled four times to Australia for Coolmore Stud up until 2022. She's the only black-type victor in this country for the stallion, who stood the 2026 season at Coolmore in Ireland for €10,000, while he has 23 worldwide.