Shark set to pounce on Cox Plate

A Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m) tilt has been confirmed for Te Akau Shark.

The Jamie Richards-trained gelding finished runner-up to Kolding in Saturday’s Gr.1 Epsom Handicap (1600m) and his connections have elected to head straight towards the Moonee Valley feature on October 26.

“He likes his races being spaced a little bit,” trainer Jamie Richards said. “He’s not the best of eaters and he is a little bit day-to-day with his soundness, but we have got him well under control now.

“We would certainly like to take him down to Victoria and show him off.”

Te Akau Shark was purchased by Te Akau principal David Ellis out of Lyndhurst Farm’s 2016 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale of 2YOs Sale for $230,000.

Part-owned by Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks captain Paul Gallen, Te Akau Shark has won five of his nine career starts including the Gr.2 Coupland’s Bakeries Mile and Gr.3 Red Badge Spring Sprint.

● New Zealand-bred galloper Humidor may have only placed 10th in his three resuming runs since returning to racing this spring, but his connections have been pleased with his continued improvement.

The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained seven-year-old had been on the sidelines with injury since his third-placing in the Cox Plate last year. He returned in August in the Gr.1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield before lining up in the Gr.1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington last month, before returning to Caulfield to contest the Gr.1 Underwood Stakes (1800m).

“Humidor has made steady improvement through each run,” Maher said.

“He just needs to draw a gate so we can actually put him into the race, so he is not turning in last and having a mountain of work to do.”

The son of Teofilo holds nominations for the Gr.1 Cox Plate (2040m), Gr.1 Caulfield Cup (2400m), and Gr.1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).