Champion trainer Darren Weir has claimed five winners at Caulfield on Saturday, taking out the $1 million Memsie Stakes (1400m) with two-time Group 1 winner, Humidor.
At long double-digit odds, the six-year old hardly looked like the horse to beat entering the race, but after favourite Vega Magic slowed down in the final 100m, Humidor attacked the line hard with Damien Lane on-board.
“He’s a great horse, he’s been a beauty for a long time” Weir told Racing.com.
“I said to Damien before the race, be strong late.”
Humidor’s second-up record is well-documented, having won the $200,000 Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) back in March after running fourth in the race prior.
What looked to be more of a Flemington horse though, it’s safe to say punters weren’t expecting to see Humidor take out the prize in the first Group 1 race of the Spring at Caulfield on Saturday.
“I think the key to Humidor is he’s doing things better” Weir went on to say.
“Last year he’d put the head on the side and make things difficult, he’s still got his quirky things at home and in the mounting yard, but he’s come through well”.
While it’s still early days, the focus now shifts toward the $2 million Emirates Stakes (2000m) on November 10 at Flemington, a distance that looks well-suited later on this prep.
If you’re looking looking to jump on early, you can now have Humidor at $4.60 after firming in from $6.00 at Ladbrokes prior to Saturday’s win.
As for the unlucky Vega Magic, The Everest still awaits, but it was yet another disappointing placing in a race the two-time Group 1 winner easily could have won.