Makybe Diva Stakes next for Kementari

Kementari is set for a return clash with his Memsie Stakes conqueror Humidor in a star-studded Makybe Diva Stakes and will have a new jockey for the Group One race.

Craig Williams, who rides regularly for the Godolphin operation in Melbourne, has been booked to ride Kementari at Flemington on Saturday which will be the first time he has ridden the high profile horse in a race.

Kementari was narrowly beaten by Humidor in the Group One Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield last start with his regular jockey Glyn Schofield aboard.

Schofield will be riding in Sydney on Saturday.

Humidor will be aiming for back-to-back Makybe Diva Stakes wins on Saturday after winning the race in convincing fashion a year ago.

Godolphin announced last week that the $13 million Everest (1200m) had been taken off the table as an option for Kementari, with connections preferring to step him up in distance to 1600m in the Makybe Diva.

“He’s got great form going into the race and it will be good to see him up over the mile again,” trainer James Cummings said.

“We all agreed that the horse would run very well in it (The Everest) but we just weren’t keen enough as a group to be going ahead there with confidence under the conditions.

“And going to the mile seems like a nice option for the horse.”

Kementari’s lone Group One win to date has been over 1600m in the Randwick Guineas last autumn.

So far this campaign he has finished second in the Missile Stakes and Memsie either side of a fourth placing in the Winx Stakes.

While Kementari has been ruled out of The Everest, his stablemate Home Of The Brave has drawn attention to his claims for one of the two remaining slots with his win in Saturday’s Group Two Theo Marks Stakes at Rosehill.