Cup still a target for Humidor
DARREN Weir isn’t certain whether he’ll have last year’s Australian Cup winner Humidor ready to defend his crown this year at Flemington on March 10.
Weir sent Humidor to the paddock a tired horse after he finished 19th in the Melbourne Cup, which followed his heroic second in the Cox Plate to Winx.
“He’s back in work,” Weir said. “I’m happy with him but he went out a bit tired and spent more time in the paddock to get over it.
“He’ll probably have a run in Melbourne in February and maybe I can get him to the Australian Cup but we’ll see.”
Weir is aiming the last-start Emirates Stakes winner Tosen Stardom for the Australian Cup, which is run over the same track and distance as that win and he’s thrilled with the condition he’s in.
“He’s in as good an order as he’s ever been,” he said.
Weir said Tosen Stardom would run in the Australian Cup third up.
He said Tosen Stardom was likely to resume in the Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 10 and would then run in the Peter Young Stakes (1800m) or even the Futurity Stakes (1400m) a fortnight later at the same track before the Australian Cup
Tosen Stardom will be having his last racing campaign as it was announced that the son of legendary Japanese stallion Deep Impact will stand at Woodside Park, Woodend.
Weir said both Tosen Stardom and Humidor would be headed to Sydney for the Autumn carnival.
Weir is excited about the prospects of another former Japanese galloper in Brave Smash, who finished an unlucky third in the Everest Stakes at his last start.
Brave Smash will return to racing in Friday week’s Australia Stakes (1200m) at Moonee Valley.