Darryl Sherer
Humidor is set to kick-off his spring campaign in the Gr.1 New Zealand Bloodstock Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield next Saturday and his connections are pleased with the gelding heading into the race after his 990m trial win at Cranbourne on Monday.
“It was nice, the track was pretty rain-affected,” said Ciaron Maher, who trains in partnership with David Eustace. “He has made nice progression from his first jump out and first trial. His coat has come out.
“I put him in the visors (for his trial), he has raced in the blinkers before, just to help him travel through the wetter ground.
“Damian (Lane, jockey) gave him a nice report. He had a nice little blow when he came back in, it’s just another progression.
“He did a little bit more on him today with another gallop next week he is probably right to kick-off in the Memsie.”
Humidor won the Memsie last year and will head into the Group One event in a fresh state this term after recovering from a season ending injury in the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) last year.
“The idea is to have him right for the Cox Plate,” Maher said. “He is going to take some improvement out of his first-up run.
“He was successful in a Memsie, but I think he had a run before that in the Peter Lawrence, so he’ll take some improvement, but I couldn’t be happier where he is at and how he is going.”