Humidor rolled back the years in his first appearance for champion trainer Chris Waller when he returned to his glory days to give age and a beating to his rivals in the G2 Ladbrokes Feehan S. at The Valley on Saturday.
It was his first taste of success since he accounted for Kementari (Lonhro) and Kings Will Dream (Ire) (Casamento {Ire}) in the G1 Memsie S. two years ago.
He was then in the stable of Darren Weir and stints followed with Ciaron Maher and David Eustace and with Lindsey Smith before he found his way to the Flemington arm of Waller’s operation and emotional scenes followed in The Valley birdcage after his Feehan triumph.
The victory offers Humidor free passage into the 2020 G1 Cox Plate, in which he gave Winx (Street Cry {Ire}) a fright in 2017 when he was beaten just 0.4l by the champion mare.
“Obviously, going back a few years when he got so close to a very special mare of ours and knowing that he hasn’t quite hit form since then and he’s had a few setbacks since makes this so special,” stable representative Jo Taylor said.
“The team has done a fantastic job with him and it’s just a really rewarding win. We just wanted him to come here and run well and show us he wanted to be here, even if it wasn’t a winning run. What he did certainly showed us he’s back on track.”
“The team has done a fantastic job with him and it’s just a really rewarding win.” – Jo Taylor
Damien Thornton had been booked for the ride on Humidor, but was involved in a fall at Pakenham and Damian Lane, who partnered the horse in his past Group 1 wins in the Australian Cup, Makybe Diva S. and Memsie S., got the call up.
Fortune favours
”It’s was very unfortunate for Damien to get hurt on Monday and very fortunate for me to take the ride and I was very happy to take it,” Lane said.
“I’ve watched him in a lot of trackwork over the last few weeks since I’ve been back and he’s looked in great condition and trialled really well.
“He gave me a great ride and a great feel. You never put anything past him and he’s a little superstar and on his day he’s as good as any horse.
“They’ve done a massive job with this horse to present him in the order they did. It’s not often you see 8-year-olds turn their form around, so congratulations to them and it’s great to be back on board.”
Humidor settled off a good pace set up by Sirrconi (Nicconi) and he charged home from the back of the field to beat Surprise Baby (NZ) (Shocking), whose effort in his first appearance since finishing fifth in last year’s G1 Melbourne Cup was full of merit.
Trainer Paul Preusker is keen on a start in the G1 Cox Plate before another Cup tilt, but is also weighing up the option of the G3 Bart Cummings as a final lead-in.
Harbour Views (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) cut the corner on the turn and boxed on well for third with the pacemaker Sirrconi in for fourth ahead of Streets Of Av alon (Magnus).
