Blue Diamond Stakes 2026 picture reshaped after Preludes

Debutant Closer To Free rocketed into Blue Diamond Stakes calculations with a front-running victory at Caulfield over the weekend.

After catching the eye in a Caulfield Heath trial last month for Adrian Corboy, Danny O’Brien bought the colt post-trial and rolled the dice straight into Saturday’s Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) for colts and geldings.

Once rated as long as $201 for the Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) on February 21 at Caulfield, his gritty win saw that quote slashed to $7, now the second line of betting.

O’Brien had considered waiting for the Talindert Stakes (1100m) at Flemington next Saturday, but a sharp hit-out on Wednesday swayed him to press ahead with the Prelude.

With Michael Dee dictating throughout, Closer To Free ($13) kicked and kept going, holding the $2.20 favourite Guest House by a length, with Eternal Warrior ($6) a short head away in third.

O’Brien revealed the colt had piqued his interest even before trial day. “I saw him in the mounting yard before the trial because I had one in it and Adrian is one of the best, if not the best, breakers and he does all of our yearlings,” O'Brien said.

“I asked him what he was doing down here and he said he was trialling this one with the potential to sell him.

“Before the horse left the mounting yard after the trial, I walked back with him and saw how easily he'd taken it. As Adrian was hosing the horse down, I bought him.

“He's a beautiful colt and he's got a proper pedigree. With Street Boss, his first three dams were all two-year-old stakes winners, so there is plenty to like about him.”

In the fillies’ division of the Blue Diamond Prelude, Clinton McDonald’s Streisand firmed to $9 on the fourth line for the Diamond after a positive, on-pace ride from Jamie Melham. The $3 chance scored by three-quarters of a length over $51 roughie Chayan, with I Am Aria ($7.50) a short neck away in third. It was a tidy rebound after a luckless Blue Diamond Preview run.

McDonald and Melham combined for Blue Diamond glory two years ago with Hayasugi, and Ben Melham is tipped to regain the ride in a fortnight. “She'll go a long way in the Diamond,” McDonald said.

“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.

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

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

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