2026 Blue Diamond Preview Day Preview

TAKEN looks well placed to bounce back in the first at Caulfield this week.

Taken returned to action with a fine performance to get up in BM84 company here at Caulfield in November, but he was a little outclassed in the Ladbrokes Supernova last time out.

He’s been freshened, sent back to the trials and this is an obvious drop in class.

MILSONS POINT returns from a freshen up and puts his unbeaten record on the line in the Blue Diamond Preview (C&G).

He’s only made one appearance at the races, but after racing a little greenly on Ladbrokes Pakenham Cup Day, he let down with a sharp turn of foot to win comfortably.

I think he’ll improve for that experience and on raw ability, I think he’ll be right in the finish again at each way odds ($8 at publish).

GHANA’S AKAN turned in a nice performance on debut and will take improvement into this year’s Blue Diamond Fillies Preview.

She trialled up very nicely and showed ability prior to debuting, and Ghana’s Akan worked home to finish second behind an impressive Moana Spirit at Ladbrokes Geelong earlier this month.

The booking of Jamie Melham again is a big tick for her chances and with luck from the draw, I think she too can be fighting out the finish at nice odds ($9 at publish).

PARADISE CITY is third up into a winnable race on Blue Diamond Preview Day.

The Peter Moody & Kat Coleman-trained gelding dusted off the cobwebs with a fair effort in BM78 fresh from a break and turned in an improved effort to only just miss at Flemington last time out.

With further improvement and some relief in the weights under Emily Pozman, I think this is perfect placement.

EXPULSION takes winning form and improvement into this contest.

She was a model of consistency last time in, breaking her maiden at Cranbourne before a luckless run in the Atlantic Jewel Stakes, and after trialling up well ahead of her return, she was dominant at Sandown.

This is harder, but she’s open to plenty of improvement and has drawn to receive a dream run under Jamie Melham.

The consistent SUNTORA rates as a key winning chance again at Caulfield.

Suntora recorded consecutive wins on the Caulfield Heath and at Pakenham at the end of 2025, while she’s since only been denied in Saturday metro company at her two subsequent appearances.

Getting further out to the 2000m this week should be suitable, and she might not be offered a better opportunity to win something at this grade.

There’s a case to be made for a few of them in this edition of the WJ Adams and it looms as one of the more intriguing races on the program.

OAK HILL hasn’t been seen at the races since September, but he’s a horse we know will run well fresh, and he is a three-time winner from four previous first up attempts.

Given the only race he didn’t really measure up in last time was the Group 1 Moir Stakes, he looks well placed in Listed company this week and has trialled well ahead of his return.

I think it could be another big day for Jamie Melham this Saturday and CUSTOM rates as another key chance for the leading hoop in the Manfred Stakes field.

Custom returned to action in July for an easy win in maiden company, while she wasn’t far from the winner in a couple of black type features subsequently.

Her latest trial at Cranbourne was smart, she’ll carry just 55kgs in this contest and has drawn well in barrier 4.

STEPARTY turned in an improved performance last time out and the John Dillion Stakes looks a nice race for him.

Some of his Spring Carnival form left a little to be desired, but he kept his best work for late when seventh in the Group 2 Ingham up in Sydney last month before returning to Flemington and the 1400m in the Kensington Stakes to only just miss.

I think he’ll be cherry ripe for this race, and he’s missed placing just once in seven starts here at Caulfield.

TOUCHDOWN was scratched from last weekend’s Melbourne program and instead gets to chance at another win in the last on Blue Diamond Preview Day.

Having returned to winning form in dominant fashion on the Heath course here in November, the four-year-old son of Almanzor was similarly impressive to win his two subsequent starts on the same track.

He’s been kept up to the mark with a trial since his latest appearance and is well placed again this week coming out of barrier 6.