Melbourne Cup mission in the wind for Blue Breeze
Promising stayer Blue Breeze took the first step on the path to a potential Melbourne Cup bid with a dominant first -up victory over 1400m at Pukekohe on Saturday.
Sporting the colours of his new part-owners, Cambridge Stud couple Brendan and Jo Lindsay, the Bullbars 6-year-old was expected to be running on strongly over the 1400m journey but not as a winning prospect.
Suited by a fast pace set up by Admiral and He’s Cavalier on the tricky Heavy11 conditions, Blue Breeze showed a touch of class as he stormed home out wide for apprentice Erin Leighton to round up the leaders and cruise to a comfortable one and a half-length victory.
Breeder and part-owner Tony Gavigan was thrilled with the performance as he outlined the potential road ahead for the Allan Morleytrained gelding, who finished third behind Glory Days in the Group 1 Auckland Cup (3200m).
“I think he’s the best handicapped two-miler in New Zealand at the moment,” Gavigan said.
“Clearly Glory Days is a notch above us but I think she is going to get a bit more weight.
“That was everything you could ask for and what a lovely ride by Erin [Leighton]. He will go to Ellerslie in a fortnight over 1500m which will be tougher than this,” Gavigan said.
“Then we will go to the Wyong Cup [Listed, 2100m] on September 6 and then the Newcastle Cup [Group 3, 2300m] on the 20th.
“If we can win that one, I think we can get enough weight to get in the [Melbourne] Cup.”