The Chris Waller stable is hoping a return to the basics will help multiple Group 1 winner Humidor find his best form when he kicks off his 2020 Spring Carnival campaign in the Group 2 $250,000 Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes (1600m) at The Valley today.
Humidor, above, is one of the outsiders in the 2020 Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Humidor will be lining up for the first time under the Waller banner, his fifth trainer, and stable manager Charlie Duckworth is anticipating the eight year old will be competitive in the weight for age Feehan Stakes.
“There‘s no pressure on him … he’s fit enough to run up to his best (and) still going to improve off it,” Duckworth told the Herald Sun.
“If he brings his best then he’s right up to them, no questioning that.”
“Age does slow things down but we can’t really fault him.”
“I think a lot of it is just a change of environment and the way we train might be slightly different.”
“Less high intensity and we really use our trials and jump outs to ensure the fitness levels are enough to be very competitive first up but still leaving some improvement in them.
“Every trainer is different but if you look at the oldest horse in our stable at the moment, Mister Sea Wolf, he‘s nine and he’ll be hard to beat in the Chelmsford.”
Humidor is the winner of three Group 1 races but is yet to salute at The Valley, although he has been placed twice behind Winx in the 2017 and 2018 Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m).
Damian Lane will be re-united with Humidor how has drawn the inside gate in the eight horse field and will have the blinkers back on.
Humidor is listed as one of the outsiders for the Feehan Stakes at $19 with Ladbrokes.com.au while the Paul Preusker trained Surprise Baby heads the betting at $3.20.
The winner of the Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes will be exempt from the ballot for the 2020 Ladbrokes Cox Plate on October 24.
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