Blue Diamond Stakes 2027

First run in 1971, the Blue Diamond Stakes has become the richest and most prestigious two-year-old race in Victoria. It serves as a key target for the country’s top juveniles and is often used as a stepping stone towards Sydney’s Golden Slipper. The 2027 edition is the 56th running. The race has left Caulfield only twice, for Flemington in 1996 and Sandown in 2023 during track works, and prize money has climbed from $1 million in 2016 to $1.5 million and then $2 million from 2023. David Hayes is the leading trainer with five wins and Dwayne Dunn the leading jockey with four, while Hurricane Sky’s 1:08.1 in 1994 remains the race record.

The race is run over 1200 metres at set weights, ensuring the most talented youngsters face off on even terms. Famous past winners include Manikato, Redoute’s Choice, Sepoy, Alinghi, Lyre, Tagaloa and Extreme Choice. In 2026 the Magnus filly Streisand, trained by Clinton McDonald and ridden by Ben Melham, split the leaders to beat Closer To Free by three-quarters of a length with Guest House third, paying $18 after the early favourite Big Sky was scratched. Having won her Blue Diamond Prelude, she was the most experienced runner in the field at her fifth start, a pattern that has served Blue Diamond winners well.