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The Blue Diamond Prelude Colts & Geldings is a Group 3 race for two-year-old males held at Caulfield Racecourse in February during the Melbourne Autumn Racing Carnival.

2026 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) Results

Stay tuned for the official 2026 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) results and finishing order and to see what two-year-olds are bound for the Group 1 Blue Diamond later in the month!

• 1st: No. 7 Closer To Free ($13)
• 2nd: No. 3 Guest House
• 3rd: No. 2 Eternal Warrior

Winning Margin: 1 length

Winning Time: 1:03.10

Danny O’Brien’s recent impressive trial winner Closer to Free ($13) was huge on debut at Caulfield leading from barrier to box off a confident Michael Dee ride to score an upset win fresh in the 2026 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) results. The Street Boss colt easily put his rivals to bed with a big on pace performance to beat the favourite Guest House by a length and firm notably in from $67 to $7 in all-in Blue Diamond Stakes betting for the Feb 21 feature.

Click here for the full story.

Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) 2026 Results

Caulfield R3

Final Race time: 

1st 7. Closer To Free (7) J: Michael Dee 57kg T: Danny O'brien	12.00WIN	2.70PLACE
2nd 3. Guest House (6) J: Jamie Melham 57kg T: Mick Price & Michael Kent Jnr	2.20WIN	1.20PLACE
3rd 2. Eternal Warrior (8) J: Damian Lane 57kg T: Lloyd Kennewell	6.50WIN	1.90PLACE
4th 4. Stretan Ruler (3) J: Lachlan Neindorf 57kg T: Phillip Stokes	7.00WIN	1.95PLACE
5th 6. High Alert (5) J: Craig Williams 57kg T: Anthony & Sam Freedman	5.50WIN	1.75PLACE
6th 1. Eurocanto (2) J: Luke Currie 57kg T: Ben, Will & Jd Hayes	11.00WIN	2.50PLACE
7th 5. Invicto (4) J: Ethan Brown 57kg T: Ciaron Maher	16.00WIN	3.20PLACE
8th 8. March On By (1) J: Jordan Childs 57kg T: Simon Zahra	151.00WIN	13.00PLACE

For current odds on all of our live racing markets, please visit www.ladbrokes.com.au/racing. Data retrieved: 11/02/2026 01:34:50 AM (Australia/Brisbane)

View Results

The event is contested over a short sprint distance of 1100m and offers $350,000 in prize money as of 2025. A set weights race, the Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude is held on Rubiton Stakes Day. The meeting previously kicked off Group 1 racing for the year with the running of the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes (1400m) before the Orr was moved to November in 2025.

The meeting is home to a host of other early autumn Group status races including the Group 2 Autumn Stakes (1400m), Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m), and the Group 2 Blue Diamond Fillies Prelude (1100m) which is the fillies’ equivalent of the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G).

Many juveniles in the Blue Diamond Prelude field for colts and geldings will have previously run in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview (1000m) in late January. In recent years, the Blue Diamond Preview – Blue Diamond Prelude double has been achieved by I Am Immortal (2019), Hanseatic (2020) and General Beau (2021). The race is the traditional lead-up to the Group 1 $2 million Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) held a fortnight later.

Recent winners of the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) – Blue Diamond Stakes double include Written By (2018), Sepoy (2011), and Bel Esprit (2002). Pride Of Dubai (2015) also recently improved on a Prelude second to win the Blue Diamond Stakes.

In 2020 the Blue Diamond Prelude winner Hanseatic came off a lead-up win in the Blue Diamond Preview and went on to run second in that year’s Blue Diamond Stakes results.

The next year, Anamoe ran second in the Blue Diamond Prelude before a third in the Blue Diamond Stakes trifecta and subsequent second in the Group 1 Golden Slipper Stakes in Sydney. Anamoe also won that autumn’s Group 1 ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes and returned for a stellar spring headlined by a Group 1 Caulfield Guineas victory and second in the Group 1 Cox Plate back in Melbourne.

The 2022 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G form was franked with the winner Lofty Strike going on to run fourth that spring in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) down the Flemington straight. The Blue Diamond Prelude third place-getter Daumier further franked the form with his next-up win in that year’s Blue Diamond Stakes results before fourths in the Golden Slipper Stakes and Inglis Sires’ in Sydney behind gun filly Fireburn.

The 2023 Blue Diamond Prelude also produced that year’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner with Little Brose improving on a lead-up second in the Prelude to snare victory in the Group 1.

In 2025 the Blue Diamond Prelude runner-up Devil Night went on to score an upset Blue Diamond Stakes win at double-figures at his next start.

The Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts & Geldings) 2026 ran on Saturday February 7, 2026 at Caulfield Racecourse and was won in a terrific all-the-way debut by the Danny O’Brien-trained Closer To Free ($13). 

2026 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G)
Date:	Saturday February 7, 2026
Track:	Caulfield Racecourse
Distance:	1100m
Race Type:	Set Weights
Status:	Group 3
Prize Money:	$300,000

2026 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) Betting

The best Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude 2026 betting odds will be available at Ladbrokes.com.au and published here at Races.com.au the week of the race so stay tuned.

Hanseatic ($2.30 in 2020) followed by General Beau ($3.10 in 2021) are the latest Blue Diamond Prelude Colts & Geldings favourites to salute for the punters.

There was a notable upset in 2026 with Closer To Free winning on debut at $13 with a one-length win over the beaten favourite Guest House ($2.20).

2026 Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude Form Guide

CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL 2026 BLUE DIAMOND PRELUDE C&G FORM GUIDE

2026 Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Blue Diamond Prelude Colts & Geldings 2026 Tips on the important Blue Diamond lead-up this autumn.

2026 Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude Field

The Blue Diamond Prelude for colts & geldings field is made up of a host of Blue Diamond Stakes-bound youngsters and is released by Racing Victoria on the Wednesday before race day.

The official 2026 Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude Field and Barriers are set for release the Wednesday of race week and will be listed in full below.

The Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) 2026 field features a small line-up of promising 2YOs including the Listed Maribyrnong Trial winner Eurocanto and the also resuming Eternal Warrior who won the spring’s Merson Cooper Stakes here at the Caulfield track.

No	Last 10	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Barrier	Weight	Probable Weight	Penalty	Hcp Rating
1	1x	EUROCANTO	Ben, Will & JD Hayes	Luke Currie	2	57kg			72
2	1x	ETERNAL WARRIOR	Lloyd Kennewell	Damian Lane	8	57kg			72
3	1	GUEST HOUSE	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)	Ms Jamie Melham	6	57kg			67
4	2x	STRETAN RULER	Phillip Stokes	Lachlan Neindorf	3	57kg			68
5	3	INVICTO	Ciaron Maher	Ethan Brown	4	57kg			65
6	4	HIGH ALERT	Anthony & Sam Freedman	Craig Williams	5	57kg			63
7		CLOSER TO FREE	Danny O’Brien	Michael Dee	7	57kg
8		MARCH ON BY	Simon Zahra	Jordan Childs	1	57kg

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

2026 Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude Nominations

The Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts & Geldings) 2026 nominations close the Monday of race week and will be released below as soon as available.

2026 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) nominations extended until 10:00am (AEDT) – 03/02/2026

	Last 10	Horse	Sex	Age	Trainer	Hcp Rating
1	31	ALIBABA	C	2	Ken & Kasey Keys
2		CLOSER TO FREE	C	2	Danny O’Brien
3	1x	ETERNAL WARRIOR	C	2	Lloyd Kennewell
4	1x	EUROCANTO	C	2	Ben, Will & JD Hayes
5	1	GUEST HOUSE	C	2	Mick Price & Michael Kent (Jnr)
6	9x	HARRY MET SALLY	G	2	Mark Walker
7	4	HIGH ALERT	C	2	Anthony & Sam Freedman
8	3	INVICTO	C	2	Ciaron Maher
9		MARCH ON BY	C	2	Simon Zahra
10	12	MILSONS POINT	C	2	Ciaron Maher
11	0x	RICH ON BUBBLES	G	2	Ben, Will & JD Hayes
12		SHAH JAHAN	G	2	Ciaron Maher
13	2x	STRETAN RULER	C	2	Phillip Stokes

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

Blue Diamond Colts & Geldings Prelude History

The Blue Diamond (Colts & Geldings) Prelude has been run and won since 1982. The inaugural winner was Rancer and since then a host of quality two-year-olds have taken out the race including Lonhro (2011), Sepoy (2011), Flying Artie (2016), and Written By (2018).

The race began as a Listed event and has held its Group 3 status since 1986. For one year in 1996 the Blue Diamond Prelude C&G ran at Sandown Racecourse instead of its traditional home at Caulfield.

In 2023 the race again ran at Ladbrokes Park Hillside at Sandown when sponsored by Ladbrokes.com.au before moving back to Caulfield for the 2024 edition.

Recent Blue Diamond Prelude Winners (Colts & Geldings)

See below for a full list of the Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) winners and results going back to 2000.

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2026 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Closer To Free	1 minute 3.10 seconds
	2nd	Guest House
	3rd	Eternal Warrior
2025 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Field Of Play	1 minute 4.15 seconds
	2nd	Devil Night
	3rd	Katsumi
2024 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Bodyguard	1 minute 3.64 seconds
	2nd	Stay Focused
	3rd	Holmes A Court
2023 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Barber	1 minute 3.99 seconds
	2nd	Little Brose
	3rd	Corniche
2022 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Lofty Strike	1 minute 3.98 seconds
	2nd	Semillion
	3rd	Daumier
2021 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	General Beau	1 minute 3.58 seconds
	2nd	Anamoe
	3rd	Jigsaw
2020 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Hanseatic	1 minute 3.08 seconds
	2nd	Rulership
	3rd	Rathlin
2019 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	I Am Immortal	1 minute 4.44 seconds
	2nd	Shotmaker
	3rd	Hawker Hurricane
2018 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Written By	1 minute 04.98 seconds
	2nd	Plague Stone
	3rd	Native Soldier
2017 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Property	1 minute 03.78 seconds
	2nd	Pariah
	3rd	Wait For No One
2016 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Flying Artie	1 minute 3.0 seconds
	2nd	Star Turn
	3rd	China Dream
2015 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Of The Brave	1 minute 3.6 seconds
	2nd	Pride Of Dubai
	3rd	Sampeah
2014 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Rubick	1 minute 3.7 seconds
	2nd	Jabali
	3rd	Chivalry
2013 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Kuroshio	1 minute 4.0 seconds
	2nd	The Bowler
	3rd	Dissident
2012 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	General Rippa	1 minute 4.1 seconds
	2nd	Rusambo
	3rd	Ferment
2011 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Sepoy	1 minute 3.0 seconds
	2nd	Running Tall
	3rd	Huegill
2010 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Beneteau	1 minute 2.5 seconds
	2nd	General Truce
	3rd	The Greatandthegood
2009 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Real Saga	1 minute 3.7 seconds
	2nd	Reward For Effort
	3rd	Starspangledbanner
2008 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Wilander	1 minute 3.9 seconds
	2nd	Exceedingly Good
	3rd	Minnesota Shark
2007 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Shrewd Rhythm	1 minute 3.4 seconds
	2nd	Zizou
	3rd	Victory Chant
2006 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Due Sasso	1 minute 3.4 seconds
	2nd	Wonderful World
	3rd	Swinging Bachelor
2005 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Perfectly Ready	1 minute 3.9 seconds
	2nd	The Rhine
	3rd	Bradbury’s Luck
2004 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Way West	1 minute 3.4 seconds
	2nd	Oratorio
	3rd	Sanziro
2003 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Hammerbeam	1 minute 3.7 seconds
	2nd	Murphy’s Blu Boy
	3rd	Scaredee Cat
2002 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Bel Esprit	1 minute 5.2 seconds
	2nd	Cool Trent
	3rd	Step Ahead
2001 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Lonhro	1 minute 3.3 seconds
	2nd	Niewand
	3rd	Tosamba
2000 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G	1st	Happy Giggle	1 minute 4.6 seconds
	2nd	Lord Dane
	3rd	Sparks