Streisand Upsets Colts to Claim A$2 Million Blue Diamond Stakes

Ben Melham produced a decisive ride on Streisand to surge past Closer To Free and claim the A$2,000,000 Group 1 Sportsbet Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield, the Cranbourne-trained filly prevailing by three-quarters of a length in a 16-horse field on Feb 21, 2026. Streisand jumped from gate 10, tracked three-wide without cover behind front-runners Lady Moscato and Closer To Free, and got the upper hand at about the 100-metre mark.

Closer To Free, trained by Danny O’Brien and ridden by Michael Dee, fought back gamely but could not match Streisand’s late thrust; Guest House, trained by Mick Price and Michael Kent Jr., closed into third. Lady Moscato, ridden by Jye McNeil, set the early pace before fading in the run home, while Unit Five disappointed, finishing 10th. BloodHorse reported Melham had elected to ride Streisand over the 2-from-2 colt Big Sky before Big Sky was scratched on Feb 20.

Streisand’s race pattern was textbook experience winning out: the filly sat three and four wide without cover for much of the trip, joined the front-runners before the turn and then engaged in a fierce inside duel with Closer To Free inside the final furlong. Races.com.au described the finish as a “great speed battle,” and BloodHorse recorded Streisand gaining the advantage at the 100-metre mark before pushing away to the 3/4-length margin.

Trainer Clinton McDonald framed the victory as validation of preparation and racecraft. McDonald said, “What a filly. The blinkers were used, she floated, but you try things and it worked. To all my staff, my trackwork riders, fantastic. She did it the tough way and I thought she was really strong all the way to the line.” He also noted Streisand’s maturity, saying, “I just thought she was the most seasoned horse in the race, her fifth start, the way she walked around the mounting yard it was like she's done it her whole life and she raced that way.”

Streisand arrived at the Blue Diamond as the most experienced galloper in the field with five career starts, having won the Group 2 Blue Diamond Prelude (1100m) at Caulfield on Feb 7, 2026. BloodHorse reports the filly was purchased at Inglis Premier by Clinton McDonald and Shane McGrath Bloodstock for AU$100,000; Breednet highlights she is from the penultimate crop of sire Magnus out of Zouper Star by Zoustar.

Betting coverage shows discrepancies in reported starting prices: Races.com.au listed Streisand at $11 while Straitstimes reported $59, and other outlets described her as having drifted into the fourth line of betting. Until the official race book is consulted, reports will carry both figures; regardless of price, Streisand’s win hands McDonald his second Blue Diamond in three years following his 2024 success with Hayasugi and elevates the filly’s value as a Group 1 juvenile with a AU$100,000 purchase tag and a A$2 million prize to the connections.