The 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes is Victoria’s premier sprint race for two year old horses, offering an unmatched $1.5 million in prize money.
The Group 1 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes is held at Melbourne’s Caulfield Racecourse each February during the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival and is run over a sprint distance of 1200m.
As a set-weights race the colts and geldings in the Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes field are required to carry 55.5kg and fillies must carry 53kg. The winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes takes home $900,000 in prize money plus a trophy worth $15,000.
The Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Day features a total of three elite level autumn races being accompanied on the card by the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) and Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m).
The 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes ran at Caulfield Racecourse on Saturday Saturday February 24, 2018.
| Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes | |
|---|---|
| Date: | Saturday February 24, |
| Racecourse: | Caulfield Racecourse |
| Distance: | 1200m |
| Race Type: | 2YO Set Weight |
| Status: | Group 1 |
| Prize Money: | $1,500,000 |
2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Betting Odds
The futures markets for the Blue Diamond Stakes field 2018 courtesy of the race sponsor Ladbrokes.com.au will be listed below with all-in pricing on the hopeful two-year-olds heading towards the autumn Group 1 classic as soon as announced.
2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Field
The official Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes field and barrier draw are released by Racing Victoria the Tuesday before the race.
The Blue Diamond Stakes field is determined after three rounds of earlier declarations that take place from November of the year before. Final Blue Diamond Stakes acceptances clost connections a fe of $5,500.
The Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Final Field & Barriers are set for release at 9am (local time) on Tuesday February 20, 2018.
2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Nominations
The very first Blue Diamond Stakes nominations close around early July the previous year.
The 2018 Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes nominations attracted a record 1470 early entries that can be found on the official Melbourne Racing Club (MRC) website.
Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes First Declarations
Helping to narrow down the list of youngsters heading towards the Group 1 of the following February, the Blue Diamond Stakes first declarations or first acceptances close the November prior and traditionally feature around 500 – 600 youngsters.Connections are charged a $330 fee at first acceptance stage in the Blue Diamond Staykes, which is the same cost of the nominations of yearlings for the classic.
The Blue Diamond Stakes first acceptances close at midday (local time) on Tuesday November 21, 2017.
Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Second Declarations
The Blue Diamond Stakes field begins to take further shape when the Blue Diamond Stakes second declarations or acceptances close in early January, around one and a half months before Blue Diamond Stakes Day. Blue Diamond second declarations cost connections a $440 fee.
The Blue Diamond Stakes second acceptances close at midday (local time) on Tuesday January 9.
Ladbrokes Blue Diamond Stakes Third Declarations
The third round of Blue Diamond Stakes declarations are the last before the final Blue Diamond Stakes field is announced the week of the race. Blue Diamond Stakes third declarations cost connections a fee of $660 and close in late January.
After third declarations but before the final field is released, connections have a final chance to enter their horses into the Blue Diamond Stakes field the Monday before the race at a hefty late entry fee of $55,000.
The Blue Diamond Stakes third acceptances close at midday (local time) on Tuesday January 30, 2018.
Blue Diamond Stakes History & Records
First run in 1971 and won by Tolerance, the Blue Diamond Stakes went on to be claimed by sprinting champion Manikato in 1978. In 1994, Hurricane Sky managed to record the fastest stakes time with a finishing time of 1 minute 8.10 seconds.
Adding to the list of recent Blue Diamond Stakes records was jockey Dwane Dunn who managed his fourth consecutive win in the classic with Reaan in 2008 after winning with Sleek Chassis (2007), Nadeem (2006) and Undoubtedly (2005).
David Hayes has trained five Blue Diamond Stakes winners (since 1983) with: Mahassin (1990), Canonise (1991), Nadeem (2006), Sleek Chassis (2007) and Reaan (2008).
See below for a full list of Blue Diamond Stakes winners and placegetters going back to 2000.
Recent Blue Diamond Stakes
| Year | Place | Horse | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | TBD | TBD |
| 2nd | TBD | ||
| 3rd | TBD | ||
| 2017 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Catchy | 1 minute 09.38 seconds |
| 2nd | Pariah | ||
| 3rd | Formality | ||
| 2016 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Extreme Choice | 1 minute 8.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Flying Artie | ||
| 3rd | Zamzam | ||
| 2015 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Pride Of Dubai | 1 minute 10.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Reemah | ||
| 3rd | Lake Geneva | ||
| 2014 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Earthquake | 1 minute 09.87 seconds |
| 2nd | Jabali | ||
| 3rd | Cornrow | ||
| 2013 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Miracles Of Life | 1 minute 09.76 seconds |
| 2nd | Fast ‘N’ Rocking | ||
| 3rd | Godiva Rock | ||
| 2012 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Samaready | 1 minute 10.4 seconds |
| 2nd | No Looking Back | ||
| 3rd | Armed for Action | ||
| 2011 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Sepoy | 1 minute 8.5 seconds |
| 2nd | Hallowell Belle | ||
| 3rd | Masthead | ||
| 2010 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Star Witness | 1 minute 10.4 seconds |
| 2nd | Shaaheq | ||
| 3rd | Beneteau | ||
| 2009 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Reward For Effort | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Real Saga | ||
| 3rd | Maka Ena | ||
| 2008 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Reaan | 1 minute 11.4 seconds |
| 2nd | All American | ||
| 3rd | Burgeis | ||
| 2007 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Sleek Chassis | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Zizou | ||
| 3rd | Shrewd Rhythm | ||
| 2006 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Nadeem | 1 minute 12 seconds |
| 2nd | Miss Finland | ||
| 3rd | Wonderful World | ||
| 2005 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Undoubtedly | 1 minute 8.9 seconds |
| 2nd | Seidnazar | ||
| 3rd | Perfectly Ready | ||
| 2004 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Alinghi | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Wager | ||
| 3rd | World Peace | ||
| 2003 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Kusi | 1 minute 11 seconds |
| 2nd | Halibery | ||
| 3rd | Divine Secret | ||
| 2002 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Bel Esprit | 1 minute 9.2 seconds |
| 2nd | Brief Embrace | ||
| 3rd | Pillaging | ||
| 2001 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | True Jewels | 1 minute 9 seconds |
| 2nd | La Lagune | ||
| 3rd | Spectatorial | ||
| 2000 Blue Diamond Stakes |
1st | Road To Success | 1 minute 9.8 seconds |
| 2nd | Ponton Flyer | ||
| 3rd | Mannington | ||