Evergreen galloper Humidor will get another shot at winning the Cox Plate after securing a spot in the famous weight for age race with his win in the Group 2 $250,000 Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes (1600m) at The Valley today.
Humidor, above, is back into contention for the 2020 Cox Plate with his win in the Ladbrokes Feehan Stakes at The Valley. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
The winner of the Feehan Stakes is exempt from the ballot for the Group 1 $5m Ladbrokes Cox Plate (2040m) at The Valley on October 24 and a return to the winner’s stall by Humidor will see the eight year old line up in his third weight for age championship.
Humidor has been placed twice in the Cox Place behind super star Winx for a second and third in 2017 and 2018 and today’s Feehan Stakes win has seen his Cox Pate price tumble into $21 at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Humidor hasn’t visited the winner stall since taking out the Group 1 $1m Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield during the 2018 Melbourne Spring Carnival but champion trainer Chris Waller was able to turn his form around today.
Waller’s Melbourne foreperson Jo Taylor was hoping that a rejuvenated Humidor would run well today and improve throughout the Spring but she was very pleased to see him run so well first up for the stable.
“The team has done such a fantastic job with and it is just a rewarding win today,” Taylor said.
“We wanted to see him come here and just run well and show us that he wanted to be here even if it wasn’t a winning run.”
“What he did today he certainly showed us that he is back on track.”
“I am sure that (a run in the Cox Plate) will be on the cards. It would be a grand final. We wanted to see him come here and show us that he wants to racing again and he has done that.”
“It is certainly hard to bypass this one (Cox Plate).
Winning jockey Damian Lane settled Humidor in sixth place in the eight horse field and was happy to track up behind the leading bunch when the pressure went on at the 800m.
Lane eased Humidor across heels and then found some space in between runners at the top of the straight to push Humidor to the front in the final 50m to claim a well deserved win.
Humidor was sent out at the double figure odds of $18 and had a long neck to spare on the line over the $3.30 favourite Surprise Baby with Harbour Views ($5.50) a close up third.
