Melbourne Cup: It's no exaggeration to say that Australia woke up this morning to a new sporting world because in the land where racing is king they are having to go back almost 80 years to try to put a new Queen into context.
The significance of Makybe Diva's achievement in winning an unprecedented third Melbourne Cup in a row in the early hours of yesterday morning cannot be explained by modern comparisons and certainly none from this part of the world.
Ireland's best stayer Vinnie Roe, something of a legend in his own right with four Irish Leger wins, finished his own racing career with an honourable eighth under Pat Smullen.
But even he has never come within a donkey's screech of the uncomplicated worship that Makybe Diva is now guaranteed for the rest of her life. The Cup really does mean that much in Australia, so much more than can be taken in by anyone who hasn't experienced the Flemington extravaganza first hand.
After the race Makybe Diva's owner immediately retired her, saying it could never be as good as this again.
"Viva Diva" screeched the Sydney Morning Herald headlines while everyone else reached back to the 1930s to find the only possible benchmark for making sense of it all. Phar Lap, the mythical Australian champion who won the Cup in 1930 and afterwards died in America amid rumours of Mafia poisoning that still are guaranteed to get any true Aussie's blood boiling has always been that benchmark. So much so that his body remains in the Museum of Victoria in Melbourne. But now there is a living, breathing rival to that legend.
"I don't want to run down Phar Lap but he never won three of these," grinned Makybe Diva's trainer Lee Freedman. "This is Phar Lap II," decided a tearful Glen Boss who had just ridden another masterful Cup.
Despite the best efforts of Dermot Weld the entire Melbourne Cup experience still essentially remains something of a local wonder, however, and no doubt there will be some who will point to a lack of overseas competition in the Makybe Diva legend.
A possible trip to Dubai next March for the Sheema Classic had been mooted, and would have been intriguing, but no doubt the connections of a mare who has won $14.5 million over a 36-race career will have little problem dismissing such cribs. And they will have support too, even from non-Aussies.
"She's world class, make no mistake about that," said Pat Smullen afterwards. "I looked over during the race and she was travelling so easily. Just an awful lot of class."
Vinnie Roe ran best of the Europeans but the demands of trying to overcome a big weight and a high draw were too much.
"For a second I thought we were in trouble. It felt like he was going to collapse and he was distressed. But when I loosened the gear he started to breathe normally," said Smullen. "He is a horse who is very close to my heart and it will take a while to get my head around him not being around. But at least he will have a fun time!"
That is because Vinnie Roe is off to stud, a happy fate that also awaits his old rival. The odds must be high against either of them ever making anything remotely near as good as themselves but for Australia Makybe Diva's name is already enshrined.
