Legendary Australian racehorse Makybe Diva has died at 26.
The only horse to win the Melbourne Cup on three occasions, Makybe Diva passed away on Saturday after a short battle with colic - a gastrointestinal issue affecting horses.
"From the day she came into our lives, she was never just a racehorse, she was family," owner Tony Santic said in a statement.
"She gave us moments Australia will never forget, but more than that, she gave us joy every single day. She was loved from the beginning, and she stayed loved for her whole life."
No horse since Think Big in 1975 had claimed multiple Melbourne Cup wins until the British-born Makybe Diva, and none has achieved it since.
Her place in Australian sporting folklore was sealed as Glen Boss rode her to a third consecutive Cup triumph in 2005, with caller Greg Miles calling it the moment "when a champion becomes a legend."
Makybe Diva had lived out her days at Santic's Gnarwarre farm, having retired from racing after the 2005 Melbourne Cup.
Outside the race that stops a nation, Makybe Diva claimed the 2005 Cox Plate among her 15 wins from 36 starts.
She netted $14.5 million in prize money throughout her career and was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2006.
Makybe Diva took her unusual name from the first two letters of five of Santic's employees: Maureen, Kylie, Belinda, Diane and Vanessa.
Victoria Racing Club chairman Neil Wilson was among those to pay tribute following news of her death.
"Makybe Diva was more than a champion, she truly transcended the sport of racing," he said.
"Her three consecutive Melbourne Cup victories stand among the most iconic achievements in Australian sporting history, and the memories she created will never be forgotten."
