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RACING editor Ray Thomas highlights the stars of the turf from the past 10 years, including Makybe Diva, Sunline and Northerly.
Even if you didn't back her, when The Diva sprinted to the lead halfway down the straight, you couldn't help but cheer.
We were watching racing history as Makybe Diva completed her Cup "three-peat" and secured a place among the pantheon of Australian turf greats.
There have been some mighty racehorses grace the turf over the last 10 years but none better than Makybe Diva.
As the decade draws to a close, The Daily Telegraph's racing editor Ray Thomas rates the 10 best racehorses of the era.
(1) Makybe Diva
Melbourne Cup (2003-04-05), Cox Plate (2005), Australian Cup (2005), The BMW (2005), Sydney Cup (2004)
Makybe Diva was once considered primarily a specialist 3200m handicapper. She won two races in the 2003-04 season and both were over the marathon distance with her rare Melbourne Cup-Sydney Cup double.
Lee Freedman then took over training Makybe Diva from Hong Kong-bound David Hall and successfully prepared the mare to become the first of her sex to win two Melbourne Cups in 2004.
But over the next 12 months, she showed extraordinary improvement. She was suddenly winning weight-for-age sprints over 1400m and was nearly unbeatable at 2000m and above.
In 2005, she won the Australian Cup, The BMW and Cox Plate then lined up to attempt an unprecedented third Melbourne Cup under the record weight of 58kg.
Glen Boss rode another perfect race on Makybe Diva and her third Cup triumph took her career earnings to an all-time record of $14.5 million.
Immediately after the race, Freedman and owner Tony Santic agreed the champion should be retired and that's when the trainer came up with his now-famous quote: "Go and find the smallest child on the course, because they will be the only person here who might see something like this again."
"The Diva" was voted number one over these famous and much loved racehorses as follows:
Sunline, Northerly ,Lonhro, Takeover Target, Weekend Hustler, Apache Cat, Tie the Knot, Elvestroem and Grand Armee
Makybe Diva truly was a phenomenon. We will never see her equal.
