Young Bravo win revives remarkable Makybe Diva connection for David Hall

Alex Marsh

Editor

Last updated: Thu 18 Dec 2025 01:20

Alex Marsh 18 Dec 2025

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Young Bravo wins at Happy Valley, echoing Makybe Diva's legacy.
Trained by David Hall, connecting two eras of racing triumph.
James Orman's masterful ride secures the memorable victory.

Glen Boss rides Makybe Diva to victory in the 2003 Melbourne Cup. (Getty)

The racing world was given an unexpected reminder of one of its greatest champions on Wednesday night, with Young Bravo’s victory at Happy Valley drawing a direct bloodline link back to Makybe Diva — and an even rarer connection to her former trainer David Hall.

Young Bravo, a four-year-old by All Too Hard out of Collins, scored his breakthrough win under Hall’s care, immediately placing the spotlight on his damline. Collins is a full sister to Makybe Diva, the legendary Australian mare who rewrote history with an unprecedented three Melbourne Cup victories.

The significance of the result is amplified by Hall’s place in Makybe Diva’s story, having trained her to the first of her three Melbourne Cup triumphs in 2003, a victory that launched the mare’s extraordinary dominance.

After winning the 2004 Sydney Cup for David Hall, Makybe Diva was transferred to Lee Freedman, under whose care she completed her historic Melbourne Cup treble and cemented her status as one of the greatest racehorses of all time.

Young Bravo’s win itself was achieved in style, saluting off a rails-hugging ride from James Orman, who held off a late surge from Zac Purton’s fast-finishing favourite China Win in a tight finish.

It was also a strong night for the Australian riding contingent in Hong Kong, with Orman not only saluting in Race 6 but James McDonald and Hugh Bowman both recording winning doubles on the December 17 program.

For Hall, the victory offered a rare and poignant link between two chapters of his career — the horse that defined his Australian legacy, and a Hong Kong winner carrying that same family line forward more than two decades later.

Since moving to Hong Kong in 2004, Hall has trained 670 winners, including multiple Group 1 sprint successes highlighted by Absolute Champion and Invincible Sage, reinforcing his reputation as a trainer who has consistently delivered at the highest level across different eras and hemispheres.

Young Bravo’s Happy Valley success may have come in Class 4 company, but the story behind it carried the weight of racing history — a reminder that some bloodlines, and some connections, never truly fade.