Incentivise Continues Relentless Rise in Makybe Diva

Cast our minds back to April this year when, on the 11th of the month, the Steve Tregea-trained Incentivise, a thrice-raced 4-year-old maiden of uninspiring form turned up at the Sunshine Coast, and was sent off a pessimistic chance to break his duck in an equally uninspiring mile race.

One minute and 37 seconds later, that low-key maiden and subsequent 3 1/4-length victory had proved to be the springboard for one of the most devastating and meteoric rises to the top of Australian racing, which Sept. 11 reached the dizzying heights of a dominant success in the PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes (G1) at Flemington.

Since his maiden victory just a handful of months ago, Incentivise has gone unbeaten in seven races, recording winning margins of 7 1/4, nine, 9 1/2, and, most recently in the Tattersall's Cup (G3), 12 lengths, obliterating his way through Toowoomba, Ipswich, and Eagle Farm in his former home of Queensland.

But, although on this occasion the second home remained visible within camera shot, in dismantling a high-class field possessing eight group 1 winners of 13 group 1 races, he has surely banished any final dissidents questioning his elite-level quality as Incentivise underlined his status as favorite for next month's Caulfield Cup (G1) with a front-running, long-neck defeat of the surging Winx Stakes (G1) winner Mo'unga and last year's Ladbrokes Cox Plate (G1) hero Sir Dragonet  who flew home for a half-head third.

Yet that of Incentivise's is not the only dramatic rise, or resurgence, in recent months associated with this win. 

Back on April 11,  Rosemont Stud's Shamus Award had just first-crop flagbearer Mr Quickie, winner of the Channel 7 Queensland Derby (G1) the year earlier, to his group 1 résumé, but that very same weekend the signs were planted for a blossoming of future elite-level talents. 

Duais won the TAB Adrian Knox Stakes (G1) at Randwick the day prior on her way to winning the James Squire Queensland Oaks (G1) in June, while another filly, Media Award, had broken her maiden just two weeks earlier, ahead of her crowning triumph in the Australasian Oaks (G1) May 1. 

For a trainer and jockey, this very much represents a reincarnation back to the pinnacle of the sport. 

Peter Moody may never get another Black Caviar  in his stable, but since returning to the training ranks last year after retiring in 2016, this marks the esteemed handler's first group 1 win, while for Brett Prebble, it continues a fairytale return to the top ranks in recent weeks for the former champion jockey, who just a fortnight earlier steered Behemoth to victory in the Moet & Chandon Memsie Stakes (G1) for his first group 1 win in Australia since 2015.

"It was a very good effort, but he didn't look comfortable at any stage," Moody said in the aftermath of the race. "There's nice improvement to come and, as we've seen the further he gets into a race he builds nicely so, even though they got to him, you know he was going to keep going."

Incentivise was transferred to Moody after prominent owners Ozzie Kheir and Brae Sokolski bought into 50% ownership of the horse ahead of his win at Ipswich June 19 in the Channel 7 Winter Provincial Stayers' Final. 

"I really haven't had a lot of time with him, he's been with us seven or eight weeks, but he's a no-frills type of horse. Steve Tregea and his team have done a tremendous job and all credit to Steve. He's bred this horse and had him since day one and now remained in the ownership with the boys—well done for Ozzie and Brae for identifying him—and thankfully I've been the beneficiary of it," Moody said. 

"He's a very good horse. I'm yet to see him have a blow, he's got a great set of lungs on him. I think when he gets to a mile and a quarter and is allowed to step and roll, and has a bunny rather than him being the bunny, I think you're going to see a pretty exciting stayer."

Moody said his charge was likely to take in the Turnbull Stakes (G1) Oct. 2 before the Caulfield Cup Oct.. 16.

"It's very encouraging. At this stage we've got one more run between now and the (Caulfield) Cup which will probably be the Turnbull, so time to build on it," he said.

"He looked tremendous today. Probably my main concern is having him in the same condition in six or eight weeks' time. But the great heart I take is that Steve says the further he gets into a campaign the more he thrives and he's deadset thrived at this point, so look out."

Prebble was the beneficiary of the ride on Incentivise after big-race jockey Glen Boss was ruled out of contention due to COVID-19 restrictions and, after a double on the card with Ranch Hand saluting in the Winning Edge Poseidon Stakes, with six weeks of the season gone and 10 wins on the board, he now leads the Melbourne jockey premiership from Craig Williams' nine. 

"I asked him for a little bit of speed from the barrier, but that's totally understandable because he's been coming back from longer trips," Prebble said. 

"I had to bear in mind there was no leader, so I was keen to get to the front and I saw Craig (Williams, on Tofane) come up alongside me and I didn't think we'd gone quick sectionals. 

"I thought he had a nice time of it out in front and then it was game over. Once I had him on his right leg, today he was really balanced and he's a nice and relaxed sort of horse which is a real bonus. You can dig him out of the gates and he just floats along and he's underneath you but he's not aggressive. 

"I tried to give him as soft a run as I could, just because I thought we've got a long way to go … I asked him for an effort and he dug deep and he won." 

Prebble rode Green Moon  to win the Emirates Melbourne Cup (G1) in 2012, and he believes Incentivise is up to the task of reclaiming victory in the race for the host nation this year. 

"He has (given me the feel of a horse that can be competitive in the Melbourne Cup). The figures will tell you that," he said. "There's a long way to go and I've been in this position before and you've got to be in the same form on the first Tuesday in November … but I believe he's good enough to win it."

Bred by Tregea's Windermere Stud, Incentivise is the eighth of nine foals out of the deceased mare Miss Argyle (Iglesia) and is a three-quarter brother to four stakes winners, including Waikato Stud stallion Ardrossan and Queensland stakes winners Bergerac and Cheyenne Warrior.