Racehorse TALK

Musket fires last shot on racetrack
Clinton Payne
Tuesday, 5 May 2009

Makybe Diva’s brother Musket has run his last race and has been retired to stud.

The Group II winner will stand his first season at stud at Darley’s Twin Hills farm, Cootamundra, for an $11,000 service fee.

“Musket is a superb-looking horse, a Group II winner and a three-quarter brother in blood to the greatest racemare Australia has ever seen,” Darley’s Australian managing director Henry Plumptre said.

Musket was purchased by Woodlands Stud at the 2005 Inglis Easter yearling sale for a then Australian sales record of $2.5 million.

His full-brother and sister have since been sold through the same sale for $1.2 million and $1.8 million respectively.

Makybe Diva’s first foal by Galileo was sold at this year’s Easter sale for $1.5 million to Flemington trainer Danny O’Brien.

Musket retires with four wins from 14 starts with prizemoney earnings close to $300,000.

A son of Redoute’s Choice, Musket’s best win came in the Group II Shannon Stakes, beating Black Piranha, at Rosehill in September.

He bows out of racing after finishing sixth, a little more than a length behind the winner Vision And Power in the Doncaster Mile at Randwick last month.