Bruno Cannatelli
Multiple Group One winner Humidor pushed Winx close in last year’s Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) and his connections are hoping he can go one better this year.
The New Zealand-bred and part-owned gelding has had a solid preparation leading into Saturday’s feature at Moonee Valley for trainer Darren Weir, which included victory in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in September.
“He’s had a beautiful preparation heading in towards Saturday’s Cox Plate,” Weir Racing stable foreman Jarrod McLean said.
“He has been running in weight-for-age and running well, come Saturday we will see the blinkers come back on. He’s really good and I can’t wait for Saturday.”
Humidor has only had the one prior start at Moonee Valley, where he was runner-up in last year’s Cox Plate, and his connections are pleased with him heading into the big race.
“He appears to be going well, he’s racing true and his work has been terrific. He has just developed into a good weight-for-age horse,” McLean said.
“He’s only had the one run at Moonee Valley, where he ran second in the Cox Plate, so hopefully it’s a track he does like and appreciate.”
Meanwhile, regular rider Damian Lane couldn’t be happier with the six-year-old heading into Saturday.
“He’s going really well, he has definitely improved since his last run and hopefully he can give her (Winx) a shake again,” Lane said.
“He’s racing a lot more tractable, he seems a really happy horse at the moment, so he’s probably going a little bit better.”