Blue Breeze to go for the Cup

Auckland Cup-placed Blue Breeze will race in the Cambridge Stud colours this spring as the stayer attempts to qualify for this year’s $A8 million Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington.

Brendan and Jo Lindsay have bought a 10 per cent share in the five-year-old Bullbars gelding stayer ahead of an ambitious Melbourne Cup bid.

Breeder Tony Gavigan said the current ownership group had sold down their shareholdings and the Lindsays’ buy-in would cover the costs of Blue Breeze’s upcoming Australian campaign.

Byerley Park-based Allan Morley will continue to train the horse.

“He’ll be nominated for the Melbourne Cup and we’ll see how he comes along,” Gavigan said.

“He’s been in work since the first of May and he’s going well.”

Blue Breeze flew to Sydney and will tackle the Listed Wyong Cup (2100m) on September 6.

He will then contest the Gr.3 Newcastle Cup (2300m) a fortnight later before a shot at the Gr.1 Metropolitan Handicap (2400m) at Randwick on October 5.

“On my calculations, we’ll need 53kg to make the Melbourne Cup field and we expect to get maybe 52kg so he will need a rehandicap from the Metropolitan to make the Cup field,” Gavigan said.

“His Auckland Cup placing means he is fully qualified for the first balloting clause.

“We will use a New South Wales jockey in New South Wales and a Melbourne Cup-proven jockey should he make the field.”

A winner of three of his 23 starts, Blue Breeze finished third to Igraine in this season’s Gr.3 Counties Cup (2100m) at Pukekohe, second in the Gr.2 Avondale Cup (2400m) and third in the Gr.1 Auckland Cup (3200m), both of those Ellerslie races won by Glory Days.

“Igraine’s win in the Caloundra Cup (Listed, 2400m) and Glory Days’ third placing in the Sydney Cup (Gr.1, 3200m) gives us a good line on his form,” said Gavigan, who raced the Robert Priscotttrained Plume d’or Veille, who finished eighth in the 1989 Melbourne Cup.

“Blue Breeze is a better two-miler.

“He’s a rising six-year-old and is only just now fully mature.”

Te Awamutu College student Mya Sunnex is making a meteoric rise up through the powerlifting ranks.

In less than 12 months of competitive powerlifting, the 16-year-old is now the 2019 Waikato Bay of Plenty champion, North Island champion and National champion in the under 18 category/under 63kg class.

Sunnex recently competed at the National Powerlifting Federation nationals held at Alexandra Park, Auckland.

The teenager’s commitment, dedication and shear determination to achieve her goals is truly inspirational, her coach and dad Hyrum Sunnex says.

“She did an amazing job and her performance speaks for itself, lifting a personal ‘competition best’ total weight of 310kg, comprising of a ‘competition PB’ 112kg (back squat), competition PB 62.5kg (bench press) and PB 135kg (deadlift).”

Sunnex was quick to acknowledge the assistance she received from Daniel Rudolph of Kiwi Strength in Hamilton leading up to nationals.

“Daniel was a huge help, providing me with the tools necessary to unblock any mental blocks I had with my lifts.

“His expertise went a long way to enabling me to grow as a powerlifter.”

Sunnex currently trains at Snap Fitness Te Awamutu five days a week. Hyrum Sunnex is a qualified strength and conditioning coach.

“The facilities and support from staff and members at Snap Fitness Te Awamutu has been amazing,” she said.

The next competition is the Waikato Secondary School Powerlifting Champs. She will then focus on her representative rugby season, having been named in the Waikato U18 girls team in her first season playing rugby.

She will look at setting goals for next year, aiming for the World Sub Junior Champs and Commonwealth Champs.