Going over the lead-up Caulfield Cup 2017 form ahead of Saturday’s Group 1 reveals that the Darren Weir-trained top weight Humidor is on the path to success.
Humidor is a genuine shot to win the Caulfield Cup 2017 even carrying the 56kg top weight. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.
One of two remaining chances for Weir in the Group 1 $3 million BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) along with The Bart Cummings winning mare Amelie’s Star, Teofilo five-year-old Humidor gives the kilos away to his 16 rivals.
The gelding will cart 56kg from a good mid-field barrier seven draw in the Caulfield Cup weight, those exact kilos not carried to victory in the race in over 30 years, with the tongue-tie going on.
That said, since lightweight winner Master O’Reilly (50.5kg in 2007) saluted, six of the nine latest Caulfield Cup winners carried at least 54.5kg to victory.
“Drawing barrier seven is ideal I would have thought,” Weir told AAP earlier in the week.
“I’m hoping the tongue-tie can turn him around, but I’m not sure to be honest.
“We’ve gone with that and hopefully it works.”
Also stacking-up Caulfield Cup form wise for Humidor is his final run leading into the mile and a half showdown.
After defeating Hartnell by over three lengths at Flemington on September 16 in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m), Humidor returned to Headquarters on October 7 to take on the world’s best mare Winx.
Unsurprisingly Winx ran away for a six and a half-length triumph in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on way to her shot at a record-equalling third Ladbrokes Cox Plate win on October 28.
Humidor was third past the post trailing only Winx and the Lindsay Park-trained import Ventura Storm who also backs-up in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday as an $11 shot in the markets at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Last weekend’s Ladbrokes Stakes runner-up Johannes Vermeer, prepared in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien, leads the latest Caulfield Cup odds at $4.40.
The Murray Baker-trained Kiwi Mongolian Khan (3rd in 2015) was the last Ladbrokes Stakes graduate to back-up and win the Caulfield Cup, but he was the first since Mummify (2nd in 2003).
The other Ladbrokes Stakes runners in 2017 facing off in the rematch on Saturday are: Jon Snow (3rd), Single Gaze (4th), Inference (5th), Bonneval (6th) and Abbey Marie (8th).
The far superior lead-up race producing more Caulfield Cup winners than any other over the past three decades is the Turnbull Stakes.
Last spring then four-year-old mare Jameka (2016) improved on a Turnbull Stakes second to salute and she was the 10th Caulfield Cup champion in 18 years to come through the Flemington feature.
Six of those 10 finished in the money with a top three Turnbull Stakes finish, which stacks up well for both Humidor and Zoffany stallion Ventura Storm on Saturday.
Humidor has Damian Lane retaining the ride, while the imported Ventura Storm will be ridden by four-time Caulfield Cup winning jockey Damien Oliver.
On Saturday Humidor comes down three kilos from 59kg to 56kg, while Ventura Storm is down from 56.5kg 54kg.
Stay tuned to Races.com.au for all the latest Caulfield Cup 2017 tips and form facts, locking in your selections for the opening leg of the Spring Cups double online through Ladbrokes.com.au.
