The Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes is Victoria’s premier race for two-year-olds. First run in 1971, it was won by the champion colt Tolerance. Since then, some of the famous juveniles to win the Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes include Golden Slipper winners John’s Hope, Manikato, Bounding Away, Courtza and Sepoy.
Other notable winners are Extreme Choice, Pride Of Dubai, Star Witness, Alinghi, Bel Esprit, Redoute’s Choice, Zeditave, Rancher, Star Shower, Blazing Saddles, New Gleam and Lord Dudley.
There have been 21 fillies that have won the Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes. The most recent being last year’s winner Hayasugi and Lyre (2019).
Importantly, a colt winner of the Blue Diamond Stakes has earned the right to a place in the stallion barn of a commercial stud farm. Past winners Redoute’s Choice and Bel Esprit have become champion stallions. The value of a Blue Diamond Stakes winner can be as much as $20 million.
Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes 2025 Preview
The Horses
The Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes has a field of 16. Here’s how each member of the field is rated:
1 - Field Of Play (barrier 5) Jockey Blake Shinn
Trainers: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young
Busuttin and Young won the Blue Diamond with Tagaloa in 2020. They rate Field Of Play similar on looks and ability. His Prelude win was impressive, and he’s drawn perfectly in barrier 5. Looks an each-way play.
2 - Tycoon Star (15) Mark Zahra
Trainers: Ben, Will & JD Hayes
The Hayes brothers won the Blue Diamond with Little Brose in 2023. This fellow is probably a bit better. Big run in the Prelude when he got too far back. Blinkers go on and he’s right in the mix.
3 - Extractor (8) Ben Melham
Trainer: Michael Freedman
The younger Freedman brother is proving a master with 2YOs. Extractor comes from Sydney off two excellent thirds against strong opposition. He has the Golden Slipper form. Barrier 8 is ideal. Only needs to handle the left-handing turn to be in the finish.
4 - Tentyris (4) Damian Lane
Trainers: Anthony & Sam Freedman
The Freedman father-son combo have won two of the past four Blue Diamonds. This colt dead-heated for first in the Talindert Stakes last Saturday. Place chance from a good draw.
5 - Devil Night (2) Michael Dee
Trainers: Team Hawkes
Nuggetty colt and a son of former Blue Diamond winner Extreme Choice. Chased home Field Of Play in the Prelude on debut. Will be better, and he can sneak into the money from a good draw.
6 - Autumn Mystery (16) Patrick Moloney
Trainers: Rory Hunter
If you are looking for a longshot with a big chance, this gelding could be the one. Caught the eye charging home late when sixth behind Field Of Play in a Prelude two weeks ago. The extra 100m suits. Wide draw but he’s a big strider who can swoop late.
7 - Olatunde (9) Billy Egan
Trainers: Peter Moody & Katherine Coleman
Olartunde is going to be an outside. He wasn’t the worst finishing seventh in a Blue Diamond Prelude when he finished off strongly. Maybe a place or throw him in the wide trifectas.
8 - The Playwright (3) Regal Bayliss
Trainers: Gai Waterhouse & Adrian Bott
Fast little filly who comes off an all-way win in the Widden Stakes at Rosehill. Drawn to lead and she will be fit.
9 - Palm Angel (1) Ethan Brown
Trainers: Jason Warren
Palm Angel deserves to be one of the favourites on her Prelude win when she tracked the leader and sprinter quickly. Drawn to be in a similar position. She will relish a hot pace.
10 - Icarian Dream (7) Thomas Stockdale
Trainers: Ciaron Maher
Little filly with a big heart. Ciaron Maher rates her highly. Not raced since the Magic Millions in January. Don’t underestimate her chance.
11 - My Gladiola (11) Jamie Mott
Trainers: John McArdle
Brilliant on debut winning a Preview at Sandown and then led and run down by Palm Angel in a Prelude. Still green. Good enough to win.
12 - Miss Celine (10) Jye McNeil
Trainers: Ben, Will & JD Hayes
Miss Celine won the Debutant Stakes at Caulfield in the spring, when she produced a huge finish. Both runs since have been sound. She’s good enough.
13 - Wiltshire Square (13) Harry Coffey
Trainer: Ciaron Maher
Three starts for three solid placings. Barrier 13 makes it tough for her, but jockey Harry Coffey is in form.
14 - Cherish Me (6) Jamie Melham
Trainers: Ciaron Maher
Ciaron Maher’s “top seed”. This big, strong filly was outstanding winning on debut but she had a slight setback after that. She has since trialled impressively at Cranbourne. Jamie (Kah) Melham rides from a good draw. Follow the money.
15 - Tempted (12) Craig Williams
Trainers: James Cummings
Big run from this filly to finish second behind The Playwright in the Widden Stakes, in her first run from a break. Worked impressively during the week in Melbourne. Craig Williams riding is a big plus. She looks to be a very smart filly.
16 - Eden Rose (14) Daniel Stackhouse
Trainer: Jason Warren
Yet to run a place in three starts. The stable rates her, but barrier 14 will be a test.
The Race Map
At the most recent Caulfield meeting, there was a lot of criticism that the inside section was “off”. Most of the winners came down the centre on a track that raced slow when it was rated good. The Melbourne Racing Club has accepted the issues with the track, and put the rail out four metres. Also expect, with fine and warm weather, the track to play a lot more fairly.
The Pace
Rarely is the Blue Diamond Stakes run at a dawdling pace.
The likely leader is The Playwright, who led when winning her most recent start in Sydney. She has drawn barrier 3. Expect Palm Angel (barrier 1) to sit on her back. Others likely to go forward include My Gladiola, Wiltshire Square, Field Of Play, Tentyris, Devil Night and Cherish Me. Perhaps Tycoon Star, who has drawn wide, to be ridden more positively with blinkers on the first time.
The Swoopers
The youngsters likely to be ridden back and saved for a big finish are: Extractor, Autumn Mystery, Olatunde, Icarian Dream, Miss Celine and Tempted. Tycoon Star is a colt that can be ridden either forward or back.
The Trainers
The Hayes family is synonymous with the Blue Diamond Stakes. Grandad Colin won it four times, dad David a record six times and the three grandsons – Ben, Will and JD – once (although Ben won one with his father).
Of the current trainers with a runner this year, Anthony and Sam Freedman (Tentyris) have won it twice in the past four years; Peter Moody (OIatunde), John Hawkes (Devil Night), Trent Busuttin/Natalie Young (Field Of Play) and the Hayes brothers (Tycoon Star & Miss Celine) have one win.
Interestingly, the legendary Gai Waterhouse (The Playwright) and the current start trainer Ciaron Maher (Icarian Dream, Wiltshire Square and Cherish Me) are chasing her first.
The Jockeys
The jockey with the most Sportsbet Blue Diamond wins is the now retired Dwayne Dunn with four, who shares the leader board with the legendary Roy Higgins. Of the current jockeys, Kerrin McEvoy, Luke Currie and Craig Newitt have two wins.
Jamie Melham won last year on the filly Hayasugi. She rides one of the top chances, Cherish Me. Other past winners with a ride this year are Michael Dee (Devil Night), Mark Zahra (Tycoon Star) and Craig Williams (Tempted) have one Blue Diamond win.
Blake Shinn, Ben Melham, Damian Lane and Jye McNeil are chasing their first Blue Diamond.
Sportsbet Blue Diamond 2025 Racing Tips
Palm Angel – Top Tip
This filly is a readymade 2YO. She has the draw to track a likely solid pace, and she showed in her Prelude win that she can hit the line.
Field Of Play – Danger Tip
Hard to ignore this horse after his professional win in the Prelude. Importantly he has Blake Shinn riding from a draw that should give him his best chance.
Extractor – Danger Tip
He comes from Sydney as a maiden, but both runs have been good against opposition chasing a Golden Slipper. He’s strong at the finish, which will be important.
Tycoon Star & Miss Celine – Value Tips
These stablemates are undervalued in the market. Their past two runs have been excellent. Any bets must include these two quality youngsters.
Autumn Mystery – Longshot Tip
Unheralded gelding who has a big stride and a big finish. When the others are getting tired, he’ll be charging late.
Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes 2025 Details
Time: Race 8, 4.15pm AEDT.
Track: Caulfield.
Distance: 1200m.
Date: Saturday, February 22, 2025.
Total prizemoney: $2 million.
First prize: $1.2 million.