Trainer Darren Weir’s new stable star Humidor has forged his way to the top of the odds for the 2017 Group 1 $3.15m BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield on October 21 following his sensational win at Flemington last Saturday.
Humidor, above in green, is the new favourite fo the 2017 Caulfield Cup. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Humidor scored his second Group 1 win at Flemington when he came from last at the 800m to the record a three and a quarter lengths win over odds on favourite Hartnell in the $750,000 PFD Food Services Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).
The former Kiwi trained five year old was also a Group 1 winner for Weir when he took out the $1.5m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington during the 2017 Melbourne Autumn Carnival.
Humidor’s win in the Makybe Diva Stakes saw bookies at Ladbrokes.com.au mark him as the new $6 favourite ahead of the Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman trained Bonneval at $7.
The Australian Oaks winner put herself into Caulfield Cup calculations with a first up win in the Group 2 $250,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at The Valley on September 9.
As well as being at the top of the market order, Humidor is now occupying the number one spot in the order of entry for the Caulfield Cup with 56kg.
Weir has named the Caulfield Cup as Humidor’s main Spring Carnival target and the premiership winning trainer said the Teofilo gelding had pulled up in great order following his dominant Makybe Diva Stakes win.
“The Caulfield Cup has been the plan all along so we are just going to focus on that and then work it out after that,” Weir told RSN’s Racing Pulse.
“He has pulled up great, his legs were cold the next day, he went down the beach and had a bit of a wade in the water. He is eating well.”
“Most importantly his manners are starting to get better.”
“Hopefully he just keeps going in the right direction.”
Humidor was having his third run into his Spring Carnival preparation last Saturday and Weir said that his manners have improved both on and off the race track but he didn’t expect him to win that easily.
“His first two runs had been great but to think that he was going to do that to that class of field. I didn’t think that was going to happen,” Weir said.
“I guess a little bit of it is the way the race was run. It was run at a bit more than a hectic speed than we were thinking it was going to be which enabled him to balance up and let rip late and run through the line terrific.”
“The way he parades in the mounting yard you might think he would over race but he certainly doesn’t do that.”
“He has got that little trait of wanting to hang in but it is getting better.”
“Everything is going pretty well, I reckon.”
Weir is yet to be convinced that Humidor is comfortable on the Caulfield track where he is yet to win but has been runner up on two occasions during the Autumn Carnival with a second to Burning Point in the Group 3 $150,000 The Resimax TS Carlyon Cup (1600m) followed by a second to stablemate Stratum Star in the Group 2 $200,000 Crown Lager Peter Young Stakes (1800m).
“I think the trip will be the key. He has only raced in shorter races there so once he get out over a trip the race will be run a little differently,” Weir said.
“I could see it (the Caulfield track) being a problem but wait and see I guess.”
“There is still a long way to go and things can go wrong and we are not getting too far ahead of ourselves but we are really happy with the spot that he is in at the moment and hopefully he can continue to stay sound and be able to do the right amount of work. That is the most important thing I guess.”
“And hopefully he keeps pulling up well after he races so he can continue to train on and get to the Caulfield Cup in great shape.”
Early market order for the 2017 Caulfield Cup at Ladbrokes.com.au: $6 Humidor, $7 Bonneval, $9 Almandin, Hartnell, $17 Admire Deus, Gingernuts, Ventura Storm, $21 Egg Tart, Francis Of Assisi, Gailo Chop, $26 Hardham, Harlem, Jon Snow, Lizzie L’Amour, Marmelo, Star Exhibit, Travelling Man, Wall Of Fire, $34 or better the rest.
