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The Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 ran on Saturday October 17, 2026 as part of Caulfield Cup Day during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival and was won in a massive boilover by Lindsay Park’s Home Affairs colt Marffiano ($41). 

The Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 is one of the key spring carnival races for emerging sprint talent, showcasing a quality field of three-year-olds at Caulfield Racecourse. Run over 1200 metres, the Group 3 feature provides rising stars with an opportunity to boost their black-type credentials and stake their claims for bigger assignments later in the season, including feature races during the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival. With a proven record of producing future Group performers and top-class sprinters, the Blue Sapphire Stakes is a race closely watched by trainers, punters, and breeding enthusiasts alike. At Races.com.au, racing fans can find the latest Blue Sapphire Stakes odds 2026, field updates, form analysis, and expert Blue Sapphire Stakes betting 2026 tips as the next generation of sprinting talent battles for Group race glory at Caulfield.

2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Results

Stay tuned for the official 2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes results and finishing order on Saturday October 17, 2026.

Winning Margin: 0.02 lengths

Winning Time: 1:09.74

Longshot colt Marffiano provided one of the biggest upsets of Caulfield Cup Day, storming home at $41 to narrowly claim victory in the 2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes results for trainers Ben, Will & JD Hayes and jockey Luke Currie. The son of Home Affairs and Miss Iano edged out Barracks by a nose, with Doubt Time a long neck away third in a slick winning time of 1:09.74. Having already shown promise with a Listed placing in Queensland and a win in the VOBIS Gold Rush on debut, the three-year-old broke through for his first stakes victory after a patient, rails-hugging ride from Currie. The Hayes stable revealed Marffiano had long been targeted at the race despite soundness issues earlier in his career and indicated the colt had now earned a possible shot at the Coolmore Stud Stakes down the Flemington straight during Cup Week. Currie praised the colt’s professionalism and turn of foot, while the Hayes team credited his strong Queensland form and a favourable run in transit for the breakthrough black-type success.

2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Race Replay

Another tight finish at Caulfield ?

Marffiano gets it done in the Blue Sapphire Stakes. pic.twitter.com/zhYjSik0MM

— Ladbrokes Australia (@ladbrokescomau) October 17, 2026

2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Odds & Finishing Order

See below for the latest Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 odds followed by the official finishing order after the event this spring.

2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Tips

Stay tuned for our insider Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 Tips on the $500,000 Group 3 sprint this Caulfield Cup Day.

Favourite: No. 12 Over Excited

Each Way Danger: No. 3 Threads

Best Roughie: No. 1 Stretan Ruler

The Blue Sapphire Stakes currently runs on one of the spring’s biggest race meetings, Caulfield Cup Day, alongside feature events including the Group 1 $6.55 million Caulfield Cup (2400m) and the Group 1 $1.5 million Thousand Guineas (1600m).

The Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes offers $250,000 and is open only to three-year-olds and is run under set weights conditions.

It serves as a good lead up to the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) run at Flemington during the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Flying Artie (2016) was the last horse to do the Blue Sapphire Stakes – Coolmore Stud Stakes double.

The Golden Rose Stakes, held at Sydney towards the beginning of the Spring Racing Carnival, often features a few horses that later contest the Blue Sapphire Stakes including in 2017 when the Blue Sapphire Stakes winning filly Formality atoned for her lead-up 11th in the Golden Rose. In 2018 the autumn’s Blue Diamond Stakes winner Written By won the Blue Sapphire Stakes before a fourth in the Coolmore Stud Stakes.

The 2022 Blue Sapphire Stakes form was franked with the third placegetter Lofty Strike returning the following autumn to run second in both the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate and Group 1 Newmarket Handicap in 2023.

2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes
Date:	Saturday October 17, 2026
Track:	Caulfield Racecourse
Distance:	1200m
Race Type:	3YOs Set Weights
Status:	Group 3
Prize Money:	$250,000

2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Betting

The latest Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 betting odds will be available at Ladbrokes and updated here at Races.com.au so you can back your Blue Sapphire Stakes tips in at the right price this Caulfield Cup Carnival.

Grand Impact ($4.80 in 2022) and Motorsports ($4 in 2025) are the latest Blue Sapphire Stakes favourites to win.

There was a notable upset in 2023 with Run Harry Run winning at Blue Sapphire Stakes odds of $13.

One of the race’s longest-priced winners was in 2026 with Marffiano saluting at a $41 starting price!

2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Form Guide

The Blue Sapphire Stakes form guide is an important resource for punters assessing one of the Melbourne Spring Carnival’s leading races for three-year-old sprinters. Run over 1200 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, the Group 3 feature attracts a talented field of up-and-coming colts, fillies, and geldings looking to enhance their black-type credentials and progress towards bigger sprint targets. The form guide provides key information on every runner, including recent performances, barrier draws, weights, jockey and trainer combinations, track and distance records, and betting market movements. By studying the Blue Sapphire Stakes form guide, punters can identify the young horses with the form, fitness, and racing pattern required to excel against their own age group.

What Punters Should Look for in the Blue Sapphire Stakes Form Guide:

• 1200m form – Proven performances over 1200m are a strong indicator of Blue Sapphire Stakes success.
• Three-year-old sprint form – Horses that have been competitive in quality age-restricted sprint races often bring the strongest credentials.
• Recent spring performances – Look for runners building momentum through the early stages of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival.
• Caulfield track record – Previous experience and success at Caulfield can be a significant advantage for young horses.
• Barrier draw – A favourable draw can help a runner secure a comfortable position and avoid covering extra ground.
• Weights carried – Assess whether any runners are particularly well treated at the weights compared to recent performances.
• Track conditions – Some three-year-olds perform best on firm surfaces, while others excel when there’s give in the ground.
• Speed map and racing pattern – Identifying leaders, on-speed runners, and strong closers can help predict how the race is likely to unfold.
• Trainer and jockey combinations – Leading stables often target the Blue Sapphire Stakes with promising spring prospects.
• Sectional times – Horses capable of producing sharp late splits or maintaining a strong speed throughout the race are often among the major contenders.
• Market support – Significant moves in the latest Blue Sapphire Stakes odds can provide valuable clues about stable confidence and race-day expectations.
• Black-type form – Previous success or placings in Group and Listed company can be a strong indicator of a runner’s ability to perform at this level.

FULL 2026 BLUE SAPPHIRE STAKES FORM GUIDE

2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Field

The Blue Sapphire Stakes field attracts a quality line-up of sprinting three-year-olds that may have the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m) in sight – a double Flying Artie (2016) achieved.

The 2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes field is released Racing Victoria (RV) on the Wednesday of race week and will be provided for punters below as soon as announced.

The Blue Sapphire Stakes 2026 final field features a quality line-up of potential Coolmore Stud Stakes-bound 3YOs led in betting by the Anthony & Sam Freedman-trained Zoustar filly Over Excited coming off a tough run for seventh behind The Next Episode in the wet at Flemington in the Group 2 Danehill.

2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes Nominations

Nominations on the Blue Sapphire Stakes in 2026 are taken the Monday of race week and will be detailed below once announced.

Blue Sapphire Stakes History

The Blue Sapphire Stakes was inaugurated in 2012. Part of the impetus for the establishment of the event came from a growing need in Victoria for more feature events for three-year-olds. Sydney has for many years boasted the Golden Rose Stakes and associated races, also run under the same conditions over similar distances.

In a rapid push to grow the race into a major feature, the Blue Sapphire Stakes was upgraded to Listed status in 2014, just two years after it launched. Possibly reflecting the strong desire to broaden the quality of three-year-old events, the ARB made the Blue Sapphire Stakes the only race to be upgraded immediately this year, with all other upgrades taking force as of January 1st, 2015.

In the future, there is a very strong chance that the Blue Sapphire Stakes will become a Group 1 event, and possibly remain at its current slot in the middle of the Caulfield Cup Carnival. The Golden Rose first ran in 2003 and gained Group 1 status in 2009, establishing a precedent for the rapid advancement of new three-year-old features.

The Blue Sapphire Stakes bears no relation to the previously existing Listed Blue Sapphire Stakes, also held at Caulfield over 1200m.

The 2020 edition of the Blue Sapphire Stakes featured just three runners and was won in an upset by Ranting ($11), while the odds-on fancy Anders finished third.

In 2021 the race was reduced from $400,000 to $200,000.

In 2023 the event moved to late November with prize money increased to $500,000 before the stakes went back to $250,000 in 2025. In 2026, the Blue Sapphire Stakes was moved to Caulfield Cup Day in mid-October.

Motorsports (2025) was the last Blue Sapphire Stakes winning filly.

Blue Sapphire Stakes Results

Below you will find Blue Sapphire Stakes results and winning times since 2012.

Year	Place	Horse	Time
2026 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Marffiano	1 minute 9.74 seconds
	2nd	Barracks
	3rd	Doubt Time
2025 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Motorsports	1 minute 10.84 seconds (Run over 1200m)
	2nd	Recuperato
	3rd	Regeneration
2024 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Pisces	1 minute 25.42 seconds (Run over 1400m)
	2nd	Rue De Royale
	3rd	Catoggio
2023 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Run Harry Run	1 minute 23.15 seconds (Run over 1400m)
	2nd	Brave Mead
	3rd	Arkansaw Kid
2022 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Grand Impact	1 minute 12.63 seconds
	2nd	Shalailed
	3rd	Lofty Strike
2021 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Extreme Warrior	1 minute 10.07 seconds
	2nd	Profiteer
	3rd	Minsk Moment
2020 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Ranting	1 minute 11.12 seconds
	2nd	Hanseatic
	3rd	Anders
2019 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Anaheed	1 minute 10.42 seconds
	2nd	Li’l Kontra
	3rd	Brooklyn Hustle
2018 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Written By	1 minute 11.54 seconds
	2nd	Encryption
	3rd	Tony Nicconi
2017 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Formality	1 minute 10.62 seconds
	2nd	Jukebox
	3rd	Lone Eagle
2016 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Flying Artie	1 minute 9.76 seconds
	2nd	Dalradian
	3rd	Derryn
2015 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Keen Array	1 minute 11.08 seconds
	2nd	Mogador
	3rd	Haptic
2014 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Eloping	1 minute 9.54 seconds
	2nd	Sultry Feeling
	3rd	Husson Eagle
2013 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Lion Of Belfort	1 minutes 11.03 seconds
	2nd	Safeguard
	3rd	Diamond Oasis
2012 Blue Sapphire Stakes	1st	Snitzerland	1 minutes 10.09 seconds
	2nd	Fire Thunderbolt
	3rd	Lankan Rupee

Blue Sapphire Stakes FAQs