Daytona Diva made a brilliant return to racing at Elwick on Sunday, storming from last to first in her first run since finishing fifth in the Tasmanian Oaks.

The daughter of second‑season sire Anders was a $40,000 purchase from the 2024 Magic Millions Tasmanian Yearling Sale, offered as part of the Armidale Stud draft.

Drawn wide, Daytona Diva was eased to the tail of the field by Jabez Johnstone before unleashing a powerful, sustained run in the home straight to score by 1.3 lengths under hands‑and‑heels riding.

Following her Oaks performance, trainer John Blacker sent the filly to the paddock, and despite resuming without a jumpout or trial, he told Tasracing she had thrived at home. Blacker believes she will comfortably stretch to a mile — and possibly further — noting her Listed Strutt Stakes win over 2020 metres. A short‑term trip to Melbourne is also under consideration.

Daytona Diva has now won five of her 10 starts, with placings in three others.

Her dam Step The Pedal (Elvstroem) has produced three winners: Them’s The Breaks (Needs Further) and Platinum Goddess (Alpine Eagle), a three‑time winner in New Zealand. Step The Pedal is currently in foal to Armidale Stud’s new stallion Bodyguard.

Daytona Diva also carries the strength of a deep and influential maternal line that ultimately traces back to one of the Australian Stud Book’s greatest blue‑hen mares, Eight Carat — dam of Octagonal, Mouawad, and Kaapstad. Eight Carat produced five stakes winners who collectively secured 28 stakes races, cementing her as one of the most important broodmares in Australasian breeding history.