There has been a couple of notable moves in Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 betting ahead of the $2 million feature on February 21 following on from the Blue Diamond Prelude results at Caulfield on Saturday, and below we take a quick look over the big movers and shakers.

Futures markets for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) – Melbourne’s premier race for two-year-olds – are currently led by boom Bivouac colt Big Sky from the Price – Kent Jnr. yard.

Big Sky heads the all-in Blue Diamond Stakes odds at $3.80 through Ladbrokes.com.au following his impressive three-length romp home as the odds-on favourite in the Group 3 Chairman’s Stakes (1000m) on January 31.

The danger occupying the second line of betting at $6 is Big Sky’s promising stablemate Guest House who has eased out slightly after his Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) loss.

Going out as the short favourite on Saturday, the Home Affairs colt eventually finished a length back second in the key Blue Diamond lead-up for the boys.

Running up the middle doing his best work late, Guest House lost few admirers with his Prelude performance but was ultimately upstaged by the front-running favourite Closer To Free.

A 200-1 shot for the Blue Diamond only a couple of weeks ago, the Danny O’Brien-trained Closer To Free stamped himself as one of the best youngsters to watch in the Group 1 with an enormous on-pace performance to salute in the Prelude at $13.

A confident ride by Michael Dee saw the hoop rate his mount to perfection giving them something to chase in the 1100m showdown where untapped Street Boss colt Closer To Free charged home to claim victory on debut and living up to the hype surrounding his eye-catching lead-up trial.

Dee, who guided Devil Night to last year’s upset Blue Diamond triumph, said he was blown away by Closer To Free’s trial and didn’t realise he’d been locked in for the colt’s debut until the stable told him.

He noted that Devil Night also finished second in this same race before going on to win the Diamond, and the similarities between the two youngsters weren’t lost on him.

“I watched his trial in person and thought, ‘wow, who is that?'” Dee told Racing.com.

“It wasn’t until last Saturday that Jack Howard mentioned they’d booked me for this new two-year-old, and I was pretty pumped.

“He’s a real professional… he actually gives me a similar feel to Devil Night in this race last year.

“Hopefully that’s a good sign of what’s ahead.”

His move in Blue Diamond betting was immediate firming from $201 to $67 and now right into $7.

Four youngsters have completed the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) – Blue Diamond Stakes double throughout history with Rancher (1982), Bel Esprit (2002), Sepoy (2011), and most recently Written By (2018).

Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Unit Five for Ciaron Maher is holding steady in the futures markets at $8 before the shortest-priced of the fillies makes an appearance.

The Clinton McDonald-trained Magnus filly Streisand improved on her first-up fifth in the Preview where things never went her way to win the Blue Diamond Prelude (F) on Saturday as the $3 favourite by three-quarters of a length.

Outclassing her rivals, Streisand proved too good in the Prelude for the girls pushing ahead late to run down the leader and post a comprehensive victory for the punters.

Her Blue Diamond Stakes odds subsequently firmed from $26 to $9 as she looks to do the double last completed by McDonald’s late filly Hayasugi (2024).

“We came in very confident – we thought the first-up run over 1000m was terrific, on a track that was against her,” McDonald said post-win.

“She’ll go a long way in the Diamond. I think she’s got the right mental aptitude for it and the toughness.

“I’ve said all the way along she’s a bit like Hayasugi – understated, tough. Hopefully she does one better.

“This one has a bit more bitch about her, I suppose. A bit more temperamental where Hayasugi was a sweetheart.

“We’re happy to put up with her and we’re looking forward to the next two weeks.”

Blue Diamond Stakes final acceptances close at 9am (AEDT) on Tuesday February 17.

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