Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts/Geldings)

Winners and Past Results

The Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) hosted by the Melbourne Racing Club at the Caulfield Racecourse is a race for 2 year old colts and geldings. FREE $200 Bet That Can't Lose

The race is run over a distance of 1100 meters under set weight conditions usually in mid February during the autumn racing carnival. The Blue Diamond Prelude C&G offers $125,000 in prize money.

The race is the perfect warm up for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes held two weeks later during the carnival. Stronger gallopers have an advantage in the level weight race with a number of talented colts and geldings stamping their authority on the trophy over the years.

The Blue Diamond Prelude for fillies is also held on the same day along with the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes and Group 3 Rubiton Stakes. For punters, the Blue Diamond Prelude is a good form guide leading up to the race with trainers seeking to score a double and even move on to a triple in the million dollar Blue Diamond Stakes, a feat accomplished only by Sepoy, in the 2011 season.

The Peter Snowden trained Sepoy is also the first two year old to win the Blue Diamond/Golden Slipper Stakes double in 22 years and is likely to rewrite the history books during his career with an astounding seven wins and a second placing from only eight starts that also made him the Champion Two-Year-Old of the season.

Among the other steady sprinters to win the Blue Diamond Prelude C&G are Ark Regal in 1989, Yachtie in 1992, Flying Spur in 1995, Bel Esprit in 2002, Perfect Ready in 2005, Due Sasso in 2006, and Wilander in 2008. Lonhro, the champion Australian racehorse with 26 wins that included 25 stakes races, won the Blue Diamond Prelude C&G in 2001 from Newland by two lengths. In 2002, Bel Esprit scored a Blue Diamond Prelude/Stakes double.

The first Blue Diamond Prelude C&G held in 1982 was a listed race won by Rancher over a distance of 1200 meters. The race was shortened to 1100 meters when it became a Group 3 race in 1986. In 1996 and 1997 were the only years it was run over a distance of 1150 meters. Charlie Waymouth-trained Rancher, winner of the first Blue Diamond Prelude C&G and Blue Diamond Stakes was a $1.40 favorite, which is the shortest in its history only equaled by Sepoy in 2011.

2011 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings)

The male version of the Blue Diamond Prelude was a triumph for Sepoy, who started well and finished even better, leaving the field in his wake with 200 metres to go and claiming an easy victory. Outsider Running Tall took second ahead of another long-shot, Huegill.

2011 Blue Diamond Prelude result

1. Sepoy
2. Running Tall
3. Huegill

Then came:

4. Grand Britannia
5. Eclair Desire
6. Instinction
7. Arctic Command
8. Poitier
9. Boys On Tour
10. Fire Of London
11. Big Rojo