Ladbrokes Tip: Blue Diamond Stakes winners rarely run worse than second in their lead-up run
The 56th edition of the Blue Diamond Stakes ran on Saturday, February 21, 2026 at Caulfield Racecourse offering $2 million in stakes and saw trainer Clinton McDonald win for the second time in three years with an impressive upset by his Prelude winning filly Streisand ($11).
2026 Blue Diamond Stakes Results
The official Blue Diamond Stakes Results 2026 will be published below on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
- #12 Streisand
- #3 Closer To Free
- #5 Guest House
Clinton McDonald‘s seasoned filly Streisand ($11) proved race experience counts for plenty when the progressive daughter of Magnus showed the boys how it’s done with a commanding win in Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 results at Caulfield. Underrated by the punters and bookies despite coming off a lead-up win in the Prelude for fillies, the bonny two-year-old went to another level thanks to a lovely Ben Melham ride to go back-to-back at her fifth career start and salute at double-figures.
2026 Blue Diamond Stakes Odds & Results
Our latest Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 odds will be available and updated below over the autumn followed by the official Blue Diamond Stakes results after the event.
| 12. Streisand (10) J: Ben Melham 55kg 22×51T: Clinton McDonald | ||
| 3. Closer To Free (7) J: Michael Dee 57kg 1T: Danny O’brien | ||
| 5. Guest House (2) J: Jamie Melham 57kg 12T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr | ||
| 9. Zambales (6) J: Jamie Mott 57kg 22T: Anthony & Sam Freedman | ||
| 11. Ghana’s Akan (5) J: Ethan Brown 55kg 242T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 6. Eternal Warrior (14) J: Damian Lane 57kg 1×3T: Lloyd Kennewell | ||
| 16. Chayan (13) J: Lachlan Neindorf 55kg 2T: Annabel & Rob Archibald | ||
| 2. Alibaba (15) J: Craig Newitt 57kg 313T: Ken & Kasey Keys | ||
| 14. Lady Moscato (1) J: Jye Mcneil 55kg 24T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott | ||
| 1. Unit Five (9) J: Thomas Stockdale 57kg 11T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 18. Almost An Angel (12) J: Jordan Childs 55kg 10×5T: Robbie Griffiths | ||
| 8. Eurocanto (16) J: Luke Currie 57kg 1×6T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes | ||
| 10. Invincible Son (11) J: William Pike 57kg 32T: Robbie Griffiths | ||
| 7. Milsons Point (8) J: Ben Allen 57kg 12T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 15. I Am Aria (4) J: Craig Williams 55kg 23T: Mark Walker | ||
| 19. Tough Romance (3) J: Harry Coffey 57kg 1T: Tony & Calvin Mcevoy |
Blue Diamond Stakes Tips
Blue Diamond Stakes tips favour the shorter priced gallopers in the markets with favourites and single figure fancies dominating the results in the past decade.
Looking for horses coming off a top two run in the Blue Diamond Prelude races and those with previous Melbourne racing form are also good Blue Diamond Stakes tips for punters to take.
Peter Snowden has proved a master trainer of Blue Diamond Stakes winners in recent years winning the race with Sepoy (2011), Earthquake (2014) and with Pride Of Dubai (2015) who he trained in partnership with his son Paul; looking for in-form Snowden-trained runners then is a pro tip and Blue Diamond Stakes best bet.
The Snowdens were narrowly denied another win in 2022 with their Prelude winning filly Revolutionary Miss going down in a photo-thriller running second to upset winner Daumier.
Team Snowden also ran second in the 2023 Blue Diamond Stakes results with Don Corleone finishing runner-up to Little Brose from the Lindsay Park stable.
2026 Blue Diamond Stakes Tips
Our Ladbrokes’ exclusive Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 betting tips will be available below soon after the field is out so stay tuned each autumn for the Blue Diamond Stakes best bets.
| 1. Unit Five (9) J: Thomas Stockdale 57kg 11T: Ciaron Maher |
| 3. Closer To Free (7) J: Michael Dee 57kg 1T: Danny O’brien |
| 15. I Am Aria (4) J: Craig Williams 55kg 23T: Mark Walker |
The Blue Diamond Stakes is a lucrative Group 1 feature for two-year-olds traditionally run at Caulfield Racecourse as one of the early Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival highlights.
Held on the same day as the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), the race offers $2 million in prize money and is held over a 1200m sprint distance.
It is the richest juvenile’s race of the autumn and was first run in 1971 and won by Tolerance and has proved an excellent stallion and broodmare making event.
The traditional lead-up is through the Blue Diamond Preludes run at the same track two weeks before on CF Orr Stakes Day.
History was made in the 2024 Blue Diamond Stakes when Clinton McDonald’s filly Hayasugi joined Midnight Fever (1987) as the only fillies to complete the series’ treble backing up from her fillies’ Preview – Prelude double success with victory in the Group 1 against the boys.
The fellow Clinton McDonald-trained filly Streisand (2026) was the last to complete the Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude – Blue Diamond Stakes double.
Blue Diamond Stakes Race Info
- Date: Saturday, February 21, 2026
- Track: Caulfield Racecourse
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: 2YO – Set Weights
- Status: Group 1
- Prize Money: $2 million
- First Run: 1971
Blue Diamond Stakes Betting
Blue Diamond Stakes betting is dominated each autumn by the two-year-olds that ran first or second in their lead-up runs in the Blue Diamond Prelude (Fillies) and Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts & Geldings).
All but five of the Blue Diamond Stakes winners from 2010 – 2026 won their lead-up race and favourites in the Blue Diamond Stakes odds have a gun record with six saluting for the punters from 2011 – 2026 including Extreme Choice (2016) and Written By (2018).
Tagaloa ($26 in 2020), Artorius ($13 in 2021), Daumier ($20 in 2022), Hayasugi ($16 in 2024), Devil Night ($16 in 2025) and Streisand ($11 in 2026) all recently won at double-figures, but sticking with those higher up the markets is the go historically.
The boys and girls are equally favourite in Blue Diamond odds each year with fillies holding their own against the colts and geldings in recent editions of the race including the upset wins by Hayasugi at $16 in 2024 and the also Clinton McDonald-trained Streisand ($11 in 2026).
Pre-field Blue Diamond Stakes odds are open weeks out from the race before the markets firm with each round of acceptances.
Blue Diamond Stakes Field
The Blue Diamond Stakes race field features the season’s best two-year-olds and is run at set weights. The youngsters set for the Blue Diamond Stakes field traditionally come via the Blue Diamond Preview and Blue Diamond Prelude races earlier in the autumn.
Eleven recent Blue Diamond Stakes winners (from 2014 – 2026) ran in the respective Blue Diamond Prelude lead-ups a fortnight before the Group 1 including Streisand (2026) who came off a win in the fillies’ edition to do the double and Written By (2018) doing the same for the boys.
Hayasugi meanwhile in 2024 won the Blue Diamond Fillies Preview – Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude – Blue Diamond Stakes treble to join Midnight Fever (1987) as the only fillies in history to take out all three races.
Earlier in 2016 the Blue Diamond Stakes winner Extreme Choice came off a win in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) at the track in early February.
More recently, Preview winning colt Daumier (2022) improved on lead-up Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) third to win the Group 1 in an upset at 19/1.
Devil Night (2nd in 2025) and Streisand (1st in 2026) are the latest Blue Diamond Prelude graduates to go on and win the Group 1.
Sydney’s Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) in April is often a nice autumn target for graduates from the Blue Diamond field.
Early Blue Diamond Stakes nominations close in August the previous year followed by a number of declaration stages before the final field of acceptances is released the week of the race.
2026 Blue Diamond Stakes Field
The official Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 Final Field will be announced on Tuesday the 17th of February 2026.
The Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 final field features a capacity line-up of promising two-year-olds with markets led by undefeated Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes winning Bivouac colt Big Sky and the fellow Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr-trained Guest House who ran second in the Prelude.
- Update: BIG SKY (5) has been scratched from the Blue Diamond field to be sent out to the paddock.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Unit Five
J: Thomas Stockdale
T: Ciaron Maher |
11 | C | 9 | 57kg | |
|
2. Alibaba
J: Craig Newitt
T: Ken & Kasey Keys |
313 | C | 15 | 57kg | |
|
3. Closer To Free
J: Michael Dee
T: Danny O'brien |
1 | C | 7 | 57kg | |
| 4. Big Sky (5) Scratched: | |||||
|
5. Guest House
J: Jamie Melham
T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr |
12 | C | 2 | 57kg | |
|
6. Eternal Warrior
J: Damian Lane
T: Lloyd Kennewell |
1x3 | C | 14 | 57kg | |
|
7. Milsons Point
J: Ben Allen
T: Ciaron Maher |
12 | C | 8 | 57kg | |
|
8. Eurocanto
J: Luke Currie
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
1x6 | C | 16 | 57kg | |
|
9. Zambales
J: Jamie Mott
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
22 | C | 6 | 57kg | |
|
10. Invincible Son
J: William Pike
T: Robbie Griffiths |
32 | C | 11 | 57kg | |
|
11. Ghana's Akan
J: Ethan Brown
T: Ciaron Maher |
242 | F | 5 | 55kg | |
|
12. Streisand
J: Ben Melham
T: Clinton McDonald |
22x51 | F | 10 | 55kg | |
| 13. Torture (20) Scratched: | |||||
|
14. Lady Moscato
J: Jye Mcneil
T: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott |
24 | F | 1 | 55kg | |
|
15. I Am Aria
J: Craig Williams
T: Mark Walker |
23 | F | 4 | 55kg | |
|
16. Chayan
J: Lachlan Neindorf
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
2 | F | 13 | 55kg | |
| 17. Stretan Ruler (19) Scratched: | |||||
|
18. Almost An Angel
J: Jordan Childs
T: Robbie Griffiths |
10x5 | F | 12 | 55kg | |
|
19. Tough Romance
J: Harry Coffey
T: Tony & Calvin Mcevoy |
1 | C | 3 | 57kg | |
| 20. Jacaranda (1) Scratched: | |||||
The Blue Diamond Stakes final acceptances follow on from a number of nomination / declaration stages:
- 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes Nominations closed in August 2025 and can be viewed in full here.
2026 Blue Diamond Stakes Second Acceptances
The 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes second acceptances closed in early January 2026 and attracted 235 juveniles. This elite group features the season’s most promising early-season winners and leading stable representatives. The path to glory now leads to Caulfield on January 25 for the Blue Diamond Previews (1000m)—a proven launching pad, with four of the last six Blue Diamond winners having first secured a victory in these $200,000 divisions.
Click here to view the full 2026 Blue Diamond second acceptances.
2026 Blue Diamond Stakes Third Acceptances
The 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes Third Acceptances close at 12 noon on Tuesday, 27 January, 2026.
Blue Diamond Stakes Form Guide
The Blue Diamond Stakes form guide reveals all the must know information before you place a bet on the two-years-old classic. The saddlecloth number, starting barrier, trainer/s and jockey of each runner is listed along with lead-up form to show the best value horses in the mix.
Jockey Dwayne Dunn won four straight editions of the Blue Diamond Stakes.
The 2022 Blue Diamond Stakes form was franked with the third placed Jacquinot going on to win the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) in Sydney during the spring.
In 2024 the Blue Diamond form was franked with the runner-up, Lady Of Camelot, taking out the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes in Sydney at her next start.
After finishing second in the 2025 Blue Diamond Stakes, Tentyris successfully transitioned to elite sprinting ranks that spring, capturing the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
Blue Diamond Stakes Form Facts
- Seven fillies have won the Blue Diamond Stakes since 2012 with Samaready (2012), Miracles Of Life (2013), Earthquake (2014), Catchy (2017), Lyre (2019), Hayasugi (2024), and Streisand (2026).
- Favourites have a top recent record in Blue Diamond Stakes betting with six from 2011 – 2026 saluting for the punters – most recently Written By ($5.50 in 2018).
- Tagaloa (2020) became the first Blue Diamond winner since Nadeem (2006) not run top two in their lead-up run.
- Last start winners have dominated the Blue Diamond Stakes results in the past 30 years.
- The Blue Diamond Prelude races are the key form race to follow into the Group 1 each autumn.
2026 Blue Diamond Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
CLICK HERE FOR OUR FULL 2026 BLUE DIAMOND STAKES FORM GUIDE
Past Blue Diamond Stakes Results
The Blue Diamond Stakes race results and finishing order revealing the position each horse in the field ran is known when the event runs at Caulfield Racecourse on the last Saturday in February.
Blue Diamond results reveal not only the winning horse but also the successful trainer, jockey, winning margins and the starting prices of all the runners.
Treble winner Hayasugi (2024) followed by Streisand (2026) for the same trainer (Clinton McDonald) are the latest Blue Diamond Stakes winning fillies.
Past Blue Diamond Stakes Winners
Recent Blue Diamond Stakes winners and placegetters going back to 2006 are detailed in the below table.
| YEAR | WINNER | SECOND | THIRD |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Streisand | Closer To Free | Guest House |
| 2025 | Devil Night | Tentyris | Tycoon Star |
| 2024 | Hayasugi | Lady Of Camelot | Kuroyanagi |
| 2023 | Little Brose | Don Corleone | Arkansaw Kid |
| 2022 | Daumier | Revolutionary Miss | Jacquinot |
| 2021 | Artorius | Ingratiating | Anamoe |
| 2020 | Tagaloa | Hanseatic | Personal |
| 2019 | Lyre | Lankan Star | Free Of Debt |
| 2018 | Written By | Enbihaar | Oohood |
| 2017 | Catchy | Pariah | Formality |
| 2016 | Extreme Choice | Flying Artie | Zamzam |
| 2015 | Pride Of Dubai | Reemah | Lake Geneva |
| 2014 | Earthquake | Jabali | Cornrow |
| 2013 | Miracles Of Life | Fast ‘n’ Rocking | Godiva Rock |
| 2012 | Samaready | No Looking Back | Armed For Action |
| 2011 | Sepoy | Hallowell Belle | Masthead |
| 2010 | Star Witness | Shaaheq | Beneteau |
| 2009 | Reward For Effort | Real Saga | Maka Ena |
| 2008 | Reaan | All American | Burgeis |
| 2007 | Sleek Chassis | Zizou | Shrewd Rhythm |
| 2006 | Nadeem | Miss Finland | Wonderful World |
FAQ
Who won the 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes?
The 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes was won by two-year-old Magnus filly Streisand at $11 who came off a win in the Prelude for trainer Clinton McDonald with jockey Ben Melham aboard on 55kg from barrier 10 to win by 0.75 lengths on a Good (4) track in a time of 1:10.12.
Who won the 2025 Blue Diamond Stakes?
The 2025 Blue Diamond Stakes was won by Devil Night at $16 for Team Hawkes with jockey Michael Dee aboard on 57kg from barrier 2 to win by 0.1 lengths in a time of 1:10.47.
When is the Blue Diamond Stakes 2026?
Saturday, February 21, 2026What is the prize money for the Blue Diamond Stakes 2026?
$2,000,000
Where is the Blue Diamond Stakes 2026?
Caulfield Racecourse, Gate 22, Station St, Caulfield East VIC 3145.
How do I bet on the 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes?
Bet online or via the latest iOS/Android apps with Ladbrokes.
The first step is to create an account at ladbrokes.com.au. The process is quick and easy!
Once you've created your account you can make a deposit via credit card, or any other of our secure payment methods. Next up, head to the racing page and find the race and runner that's right for you.
Which horse will win the 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes?
The best way to pick which horse will win the Blue Diamond Stakes is to take into account the form, assess the barriers, and consider the weight the horse will carry (among other factors). Check out ladbrokes.com.au in the lead up to the race for full form information.