Cox Plate runner-up Humidor is looking to be a late Autumn Carnival starter and will be struggling to be ready to defend his title in the Group 1 $1.5m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on March 10.
Humidor, above in the green colours, is an unlikely starter in the 2018 C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Humidor was one of four Darren Weir trained horses nominated for this Saturday’s Group 1 $500,000 Ladbrokes C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield but stable foreman Jarrod McLean said the dual Group 1 winner is unlikely to go around this weekend.
McLean said that Humidor is slightly behind in his Autumn preparation and the five year old could now be armed towards the Group 1 $4m Longines Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Randwick on April 14, day two of The Championship, and then onto Brisbane for the Group 1 $650,000 Doomben Cup (2000m) at Doomben on May 19.
“He’s a little bit behind,” McLean told racing.com.
“If he gets to the Australian Cup he gets there but at this stage races like the Queen Elizabeth and Doomben Cup in May are real good targets for him.
“There’s no real hurry or urgency to get him to an Australian Cup.”
“If he was to race on Saturday, he’d be a bit underdone.
“He’s nominated for Saturday but at this stage I am told we’ll give him one more trial and then head to the Futurity first-up.”
Humidor performed well during the 2017 Melbourne Spring Carnival and as well as winning the Group 1 $750,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 16, then ran the mighty mare Winx to within half a length when runner in the Group 1 $3m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley.
Weir gave Humidor one more run in the Spring but the five year old was always well back in the field before finishing nineteenth to Rekindling in the Group 1 $6.25m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on the first Tuesday November.
Weir will still be well represented in the C.F. Orr Stakes with last year’s winner Black Heart Bart, Japanese import Brave Smash and dual 2017 Spring Carnival Group 1 winner Tosen Stardom among the nineteen nominations.
The James Cummings Group 1 performer Hartnell is also among the C.F. Orr Stakes nominations as is the Mick Price trained three year old, the Caulfield Guineas winner Mighty Boss, who could take on the older horses at weight for age to kick off his Autumn Carnival campaign.
Early betting for the 2018 C.F. Orr Stakes at Ladbrokes.com.au: $4.80 Tosen Stardom, $5.50 Hartnell, $6, Black Hart Bart, $7.50 $10 Brave Smash, Mr Sneaky, $12 Shillelagh, $13 Levendi, Thronum, $21 Humidor, Mighty Boss, Tshahitsi, $26 Dollar Mr Dollar, $34 Single Gaze, Lord Of The Sky, Harlem, $41 Abbey Marie, Wyndspelle, $67 Pure Pride, $81 Jester Halo.
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