Promising stayer Blue Breeze gave his higher rated rivals a start and a comprehensive beating when he took out the opening event at Pukekohe on Saturday.
The Alan Morley trained four-year-old had impressed when winning on a good surface at Te Aroha a fortnight earlier with Morley noting at the time he was a horse that was only just starting to come into his own.
With a lack of options available to the rating 69 graded galloper Morley took the punt to start him against the open handicappers in Saturdays 2200m contest and he proved his trainer’s judgement to be spot on as he romped to a five and a half length victory in the hands of regular pilot Sam Spratt.
Spratt had Blue Breeze travelling easily at the rear of proceedings for most of the race as former Gr.1 Sydney Cup (3200m) winner Gallante set a true pace at the head of affairs. Allowed to travel into contention approaching the home turn, Spratt angled the Bullbars gelding into the clear with 300m to run where he quickly put paid to his rivals before coasting to the winning post for a hollow victory.
“He’s a very versatile horse and it was a gutsy run,” said Spratt.
“He just flies through the wet ground and he just thrived in it out there.
“He went from a pretty firm track last time to a very heavy track this time, so it was a really good run.”
Morley admitted the horse had provided him with a real quandary as he looks to the future for his charge.
“I was going to put him out for a spell after he won at Te Aroha,” he said.
“By the Monday he was yahooing around his paddock and carrying on so we thought we’d give him another one.
“Now he’s done this so who knows where from here.
“I just hope the handicapper doesn’t give us too much weight now as there’s not much of him.”
