Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 Preview
What is the Blue Diamond Stakes?
The Blue Diamond Stakes is Victoria’s premier event for two-year-olds—a high-stakes $2 million Group 1 sprint over 1200m at Caulfield Racecourse. As the definitive test of early-season precocity, it serves as the southern state’s equivalent to the Golden Slipper. This set-weights clash rewards the most polished youngsters in the country, demanding a rare combination of raw speed, tactical maturity, and the stamina to handle the testing 1200m uphill climb to the winning post.
Recent Winners of the Blue Diamond Stakes
The Blue Diamond honour roll features some of the most influential names in Australian racing and breeding history:
- Devil Night (2025): The Hawkes-trained colt who produced a stunning upset at just his second career start.
- Hayasugi (2024): The iron-willed filly who swept the Blue Diamond series (Preview, Prelude, and Final).
- Little Brose (2023): A gritty win for the Hayes brothers, continuing the Lindsay Park dynasty in this race.
- Daumier (2022): A victory for the global powerhouse Godolphin in a thrilling finish.
- Sepoy (2011): A true champion who dominated the Diamond before taking the Golden Slipper.
- Redoute’s Choice (1999): Perhaps the greatest winner of all, who went on to become a legendary “Sires of Sires”.
In the most recent edition, the Extreme Choice colt Devil Night made history by winning the $2 million feature as a maiden at long odds. Ridden by Michael Dee, he held off the fast-finishing Tentyris to secure a career-defining victory for the Hawkes stable.
Odds and Tips for the Blue Diamond Stakes 2026
The Pickabookie.com.au experts have identified the untapped potential of a maiden in the field, Ghana’s Akan as the value “best bet” in the 2026 Blue Diamond. Set to jump at 16:15 AEDT, this juvenile feature is wide open, but Ghana’s Akan appears ready to peak when it matters most and with 3 races under his belt this experience could make the difference.
There is significant market interest in the current $4.00 favourite, Unit Five, who also hails from the powerhouse Ciaron Maher stable. While Unit Five has been professional in the lead-up sprints and possesses the “Maher polish,” the experts believe stablemate Ghana’s Akan offers the superior betting proposition at a lucrative $15.00.
The Blue Diamond often falls to a horse that has gone under the radar or slightly unlucky in the Preludes much like Devil Night did last year. Ghana’s Akan fits that profile with closing sectionals among the fastest in his recent outing.
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