Blue Diamond Prelude C&G

The Blue Diamond Prelude C&G is a Group 3 race for two-year-old colts & geldings that takes place in early February each year at Caulfield racecourse in Melbourne during the the Melbourne autumn racing carnival. The race is run under set weights and penalty conditions over a distance of 1100 metres and is worth $125,000 in prizemoney. The 2011 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G was won by Sepoy from Running Tall with Huegill third.

The colts & geldings Prelude is held on Gr1 C.F. Orr Stakes day, the second biggest race day of the Melbourne Racing Club, after Gr1 Blue Diamond Stakes day, and is the male eqivalent of the Gr3 Blue Diamond Prelude (F) for fillies.

Blue Diamond Prelude C&G info
Date:	Saturday 11th February 2012
Track:	Caulfield racecourse, Melbourne
Distance:	1100 metres
Race Type:	2yo C&G - Set Weights
Status:	Group 3
Prizemoney:	$125,000
2011 Winner:	Sepoy

The Blue Diamond Prelude C&G is an 1100 race for two-year-old colts & geldings that serves as the ideal lead up race to the Gr1 Blue Diamond Stakes in a fortnight at the same track.

The level weights playing field advantages the better 2yo gallopers engaged and some very talented horses have won this race over the years, including Sepoy (2011), Bel Esprit (2002), Lonhro (2001), Flying Spur (1995) and Danzero (1994).

The Colts & Geldings Prelude is held on the same day as the female version of the race, which is the Blue Diamond Prelude - Fillies. Sepoy (2011) went on to win the Blue Diamond Stakes after scoring in this event and he's the most recent galloper to win the colts & geldings Prelude and then the Blue Diamond Stakes in the same year.

Sepoy travelled to Sydney later in the autumn to take out the Gr1 Golden Slipper Stakes at Rosehill and completed the Blue Diamond & Golden Slipper double in the process.

Sepoy (2011) won the listed Blue Diamond Preview for colts & geldings over 1000m at this track before taking out this race and recent Blue Diamond Prelude C&G winners include Beneteau (2010) and Real Saga (2009).

2011 Blue Diamond Prelude C&G result
1. $1.40 Sepoy 55.5 M Zahra
2. $14.00 Running Tall 55.5 B Melham
3. $15.00 Huegill 55.5 L Nolen

then followed
4. $15.00 Grand Britannia 55.5 C Williams
5. $51.00 Eclair Desire 55.5 C Symons
6. $26.00 Instinction 55.5 C Newitt
7. $12.00 Arctic Command 55.5 D Smith
8. $41.00 Poitier 55.5 S W Arnold
9. $11.00 Boys On Tour 55.5 J Winks
10. $41.00 Fire Of London 55.5 D Dunn
11. $31.00 Big Rojo 55.5 G Boss

Margins: 3 1/2 len, len
Time: 1:03.05

A number of group races take place on CF Orr Stakes day alongside the Blue Diamond Preludes, including the Gr2 Autumn Stakes, Gr3 Rubiton Stakes, Gr3 Geoffrey Belmaine Stakes & Gr3 Carlyon Cup.

Blue Diamond Prelude (C) recent winners & placegetters
Year	Winner	2nd	3rd	Time
2011	Sepoy	Running Tall	Huegill	1:03.0
2010	Beneteau	General Truce	The Greatandthegood	1:02.5
2009	Real Saga	Reward For Effort	Starspangledbanner	1:03.7
2008	Wilander	Exceedingly Good	Minnesota Shark	1:03.9
2007	Shrewd Rhythm	Zizou	Victory Chant	1:03.4
2006	Due Sasso	Wonderful World	Swinging Bachelor	1:03.4
2005	Perfectly Ready	The Rhine	Bradbury's Luck	1:03.9
2004	Way West	Oratorio	Sanziro	1:03.4
2003	Hammerbeam	Murphy's Blu Boy	Scaredee Cat	1:03.7
2002	Bel Esprit	Cool Trent	Step Ahead	1:05.2
2001	Lonhro	Niewand	Tosamba	1:03.3
2000	Happy Giggle	Lord Dane	Sparks	1:04.6
1999	Charm Scene Land	Real Jester	Cullen	1:04.8
1998	Prowl	Shovhog	Special Edition	1:03.9
1997	Millward	Evader	Sports	1:05.6
1996	Winger Charger	Polish Native	Red Rascal	1:06.8
1995	Flying Spur	Shaded	Backgammon	1:05.3
1994	Danzero	Western Beat	Cannibal King	1:03.6
1993	Alacqua	St Rory	Pride Of Rancho	1:05.3
1992	Yachtie	Just Juan	Landsdowne Road	1:04.0
1991	Chief Headhunter	Group Decision	Noble Lancer	1:03.7
1990	Unspoken Word	Trustful	Satellite Bay	1:03.7
1989	Ark Regal	Mabrook	High Waters	1:04.7
1988	Nanutarra	King's High	My Bright Boy	1:04.8