The Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 ran on Saturday, October 17, 2026 as part of Caulfield Cup Day during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival for potential Coolmoure Stud Stakes-bound three-year-olds and was won in a massive upset by the Lindsay Park-trained Home Affairs colt Marffiano ($41).
The Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 is a race worth keeping a close eye on for punters searching for the next generation of Australian sprint stars. Run over 1200m at Caulfield during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival, the Group 3 feature provides talented three-year-olds with a valuable opportunity to secure black-type success against their own age group. The race has a strong reputation for uncovering emerging talent, with many past contenders progressing to bigger and better assignments later in their careers. With exciting young sprinters, competitive fields, and plenty of market activity, the event generates significant interest among racing fans and punters alike. Stay up to date with the latest Blue Sapphire Stakes odds 2026, expert previews, field announcements, and comprehensive Blue Sapphire Stakes betting 2026 predictions at Ladbrokes as the future stars of the sprinting ranks battle for spring carnival honours.
2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Results
The official Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 Results & Finishing Order will be provided below once the race is run and won on Saturday, October 17, 2026.
- #2 Marffiano
- #9 Barracks
- #6 Doubt Time
Longshot colt Marffiano provided one of the biggest upsets of Caulfield Cup Day, storming home at $41 to narrowly claim victory in the 2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes results for trainers Ben, Will & JD Hayes and jockey Luke Currie. The son of Home Affairs and Miss Iano edged out Barracks by a nose, with Doubt Time a long neck away third in a slick winning time of 1:09.74. Having already shown promise with a Listed placing in Queensland and a win in the VOBIS Gold Rush on debut, the three-year-old broke through for his first stakes victory after a patient, rails-hugging ride from Currie. The Hayes stable revealed Marffiano had long been targeted at the race despite soundness issues earlier in his career and indicated the colt had now earned a possible shot at the Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight during Cup Week. Currie praised the colt’s professionalism and turn of foot, while the Hayes team credited his strong Queensland form and a favourable run in transit for the breakthrough black-type success.
2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Race Replay
2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Odds & Finishing Order
The season’s top Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 odds and betting market links will be available below as soon as open followed by the official finishing order after the event.
| 2. Marffiano (6) 57kg1525x | |||
| 9. Barracks (4) 57kg224×1 | |||
| 6. Doubt Time (10) 57kg1×5 | |||
| 1. Stretan Ruler (3) 57kg125×0 | |||
| 10. Half Pipe (1) 57kg17544 | |||
| 8. Organised Crime (2) 57kg125 | |||
| 3. Threads (5) 57kg43311 | |||
| 11. Pocketfullofcash (7) 57kg1×9 | |||
| 12. Over Excited (8) 55kg127 | |||
| 7. Jarbardar (11) 57kg12×2 | |||
| 4. Neveu (9) 57kg1531x | |||
| 5. Tales Of Time (1)SCRATCHED: | |||
Blue Sapphire Stakes Tips
Top Blue Sapphire tips include looking for any three-year-olds coming off a Group 1 run, proven 1200m runners, those with a good strike-rate at the Caulfield track and any of the better performers from the prior season in juvenile features like the Golden Slipper Stakes.
The fillies also make a good Blue Sapphire Stakes betting tip with plenty of recent wins by the girls including Motorsports (2025), Anaheed (2019), Formality (2017), and Eloping (2014).
2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Predictions & Best Bets
Our Ladbrokes’ insider Blue Sapphire 2026 betting tips and Caulfield racing selections will be detailed below the week of the race so bookmark this page for the three-year-olds to back and sack in the Group 3 this spring.
| 12. Over Excited (8) 55kg127 |
| 3. Threads (5) 57kg43311 |
| 1. Stretan Ruler (3) 57kg125×0 |
The Blue Sapphire Stakes is a 1200m race for three-year-olds now held at Caulfield Racecourse on the Caulfield Day during the peak of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
Currently offering $250,000 in prize money and contested at set weights, it takes place on the same card as the Group 1 $6.5 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) and Group 1 $1.5 million Thousand Guineas (1600m).
It serves as a potential lead-up to Flemington’s Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) on Victoria Derby Day. Flying Artie (2016) was the last horse to complete the Blue Sapphire Stakes – Coolmore Stud Stakes double.
The Blue Sapphire Stakes has held Group 3 status since 2016.
Blue Sapphire Stakes Race Info
- Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Track: Caulfield Racecourse
- Distance: 1200m
- Conditions: 3YOs – Set Weights
- Status: Group 3
- Prize Money: $250,000
- First Run: 2005 (for two-year-olds); 2012 (for three-year-olds)
Blue Sapphire Stakes Betting
Blue Sapphire Stakes betting is led by any Group 1 performed horses that may have run well in a race like the Group 1 Golden Rose Stakes (1400m) and are dropping down in distance and grade.
Proven sprinters from the top stables, those that ran well in races like the Golden Slipper the autumn prior and any graduates of the Group 1 Moir Stakes (1000m) at The Valley come back against their own age are usually also kept safe in the Blue Sapphire Stakes odds.
Grand Impact ($4.80 in 2022) and Motorsports ($4 in 2025) are the latest Blue Sapphire Stakes favourites to win.
There was a notable upset in the 2023 edition with Run Harry Run winning over the 1400m at Blue Sapphire Stakes odds of $13.
One of the race’s longest-priced winners was in 2026 with Marffiano saluting at a $41 starting price!
Blue Sapphire Stakes Field
The Blue Sapphire Stakes race field attracts a line-up of the season’s most exciting three-year-old sprinters including those eyeing a run in the Coolmore Stud Stakes on the first day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
The Blue Sapphire Stakes final acceptances are released on the Wednesday of race week following nominations on the Monday.
2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Final Field
The official Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 field and barriers will be published in full below once final acceptances are taken by Racing Victoria on the Wednesday of race week.
The Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 final field features a quality line-up of potential Coolmore Stud Stakes-bound 3YOs led in betting by the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Zoustar filly Over Excited coming off a tough run for seventh behind The Next Episode in the wet at Flemington in the Group 2 Danehill.
| Entrant | Last 6 | Sex | Barrier | Weight | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1. Stretan Ruler
J: Lachlan Neindorf
T: Phillip & Tommy Stokes |
4125×0 | C | 3 | 57kg | |
|
2. Marffiano
J: Luke Currie
T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes |
1525x | C | 6 | 57kg | |
|
3. Threads
J: Blake Shinn
T: Ciaron Maher |
x43311 | C | 5 | 57kg | |
|
4. Neveu
J: Jett Stanley
T: Jon O’connor |
x1531x | G | 9 | 57kg | |
| 5. Tales Of Time (1) Scratched: | |||||
|
6. Doubt Time
J: Mark Zahra
T: Nick Ryan |
1×5 | G | 10 | 57kg | |
|
7. Jarbardar
J: Harry Coffey
T: Tony & Calvin Mcevoy |
12×2 | G | 11 | 57kg | |
|
8. Organised Crime
J: Ethan Brown
T: Lloyd Kennewell |
125 | C | 2 | 57kg | |
|
9. Barracks
J: Craig Williams
T: Ciaron Maher |
224×1 | C | 4 | 57kg | |
|
10. Half Pipe
J: Michael Dee
T: Annabel & Rob Archibald |
x17544 | C | 1 | 57kg | |
|
11. Pocketfullofcash
J: Daniel Stackhouse
T: Reece Goodwin |
1×9 | G | 7 | 57kg | |
|
12. Over Excited
J: Damian Lane
T: Anthony & Sam Freedman |
127 | F | 8 | 55kg | |
2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Nominations
The early Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 Nominations close the Monday before the race and will be updated in full below.
Blue Sapphire Stakes Form Guide
The Blue Sapphire Stakes form guide features all the info punters need to place a well-informed wager on the three-years-old sprint showdown including the saddlecloth number, barrier, trainer and jockey of all the horses in the field.
Any Group 1 Golden Slipper performers from the previous season, proven sprinters and runners dropping down in grade off a Group 1 run are all worth looking out for on the Blue Sapphire Stakes form guide.
The 2022 Blue Sapphire form held with Lofty Strike, third in the event, coming back in the autumn of 2023 for back-to-back Group 1 seconds in the Oakleigh Plate and Newmarket Handicap results.
2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Form Guide
A link to our comprehensive Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 Form Guide will be provided for punters below the week of the race.
Past Blue Sapphire Stakes Results
The Blue Sapphire Stakes race results going back to the year 2012 when it became a race for three-year-olds are detailed below.
Notable Blue Sapphire Stakes winners include Snitzerland (2012), Flying Artie (2016), and Written By (2018).
Motorsports (2025) was the last Blue Sapphire Stakes winning filly.
Recent Blue Sapphire Stakes Winners
Recent Blue Sapphire Stakes winners and placegetters dating back to the year 2012 are detailed in the below table.
| Year | Winner | Second | Third |
| 2026 | Marffiano | Barracks | Doubt Time |
| 2025 | Motorsports | Recuperato | Regeneration |
| 2024 | Pisces | Rue De Royale | Catoggio |
| 2023 | Run Harry Run | Brave Mead | Arkansaw Kid |
| 2022 | Grand Impact | Shalailed | Lofty Strike |
| 2021 | Extreme Warrior | Profiteer | Minsk Moment |
| 2020 | Ranting | Hanseatic | Anders |
| 2019 | Anaheed | Li’l Kontra | Brooklyn Hustle |
| 2018 | Written By | Encryption | Tony Nicconi |
| 2017 | Formality | Jukebox | Lone Eagle |
| 2016 | Flying Artie | Dalradian | Derryn |
| 2015 | Keen Array | Mogador | Haptic |
| 2014 | Eloping | Sultry Feeling | Husson Eagle |
| 2013 | Lion of Belfort | Safeguard | Diamond Oasis |
| 2012 | Snitzerland | Fire Thunderbolt | Lankan Rupee |