Darren Weir’s maturing Group 1 winner Humidor earned a trip to Sydney for a shot at the 2018 Doncaster Mile – Queen Elizabeth Stakes double after continuing his ace Flemington mile form with a win in Saturday’s Blamey Stakes 2018.

Victoria’s leading trainer Weir was tipped to have the first two over the line in this year’s Group 2 $200,000 Blamey Stakes (1600m) saddling-up Group 1 winners Tosen Stardom ($2.35) and Humidor ($3) in the five-starter race.

It was a mixed Blamey Stakes result for the stable however with things going perfectly to plan with Teofilo five-year-old Humidor, while his better fancied stablemate ran a clear last in a very below par run.

“It’s great for the connections of the winner and not so good for the other horse has he ran well below par…not sure what’s going on there,” Weir said post-race.

Weir was left scratching his head as to what went wrong with Tosen Stardom who travelled wide in third throughout before failing to let down at all crossing six lengths back last after having to cover the extra ground around the turn.

As for the Blamey Stakes winner Humidor, the gelding was back in winning form second-up enjoying the rise in distance and drop in grade after his resuming fourth in the Group 1 Futurity Stakes (1400m) from February 24.

“From the Humidor point of view it was a terrific win and he’s in for a good campaign,” Weir said.

“You sort of expect him to work home like that…he’s got the job done, it’s good.”

The genuine miler added to his outstanding Flemington record (6:3-0-1) and that over the 1600m (6:4-1-0) for his first victory since the barnstorming three and a quarter length effort at the same track and distance in September’s Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).

Humidor will get another go at the mile next-up heading to Sydney’s Royal Randwick track on April 7 for the Group 1 $3 million Doncaster Mile (1600m) on Day 1 of ‘The Championships’.

The plan is to then back-up seven days later with a possible clash with the mighty Winx in the Group 1 $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

“He’ll go now to the Doncaster,” Weir confirmed.

“He’s had a great preparation towards that.

“We’ll probably run in the Doncaster and then back-up in the Queen Elizabeth.

“That’s been the plan all along and he looks like he’s on track.”

In the Blamey Stakes, Humidor was ridden by Mark Zahra from the rails and was settled back towards the end of the field as the classy Tasmanian Hellova Street led them around as predicted.

Humidor was tracking Tosen Stardom into the run and was still last 450m out from the line as the pacemaker led into the straight.

As Tosen Stardom dropped right out, Humidor came with his run winding-up over the final 150m as the race roughie Cool Chap presented as the danger getting through on the inside.

Humidor did a bit wrong, but was still too good late and got over the top Cool Chap while the Blamey Stakes trifecta was rounded out by Hellova Street ($4.50) who held for third.

“Ideally you didn’t want to see him lay in late, but he can be tricky like that,” Weir admitted.

Following the Blamey Stakes win, Humidor firmed in from $12 to $8.50 in pre-field Doncaster Mile betting at Ladbrokes.com.au.

He is also now occupying the second line of the all-in Queen Elizabeth Stakes 2018 betting markets at $9 behind Winx ($1.20).

To back Humidor next race in Sydney at the best autumn racing odds online visit Ladbrokes.com.au.

2018 Blamey Stakes Results & Finishing Order

Flemington Race 5 – 17/03/2018

Place	#	Horse	Trainer	Jockey	Margin	Br.	Weight	SP
1	2	HUMIDOR (NZ)	Darren Weir	Mark Zahra	–	1	59kg	$3
2	5	COOL CHAP	David & B Hayes & T Dabernig	Luke Nolen	0.5L	2	55kg	$18
3	3	HELLOVA STREET	Scott Brunton	Jason Maskiell	1.25L	3	58kg	$4.40
4	4	ODEON (NZ)	Mathew Ellerton & Simon Zahra	Chris Symons	2L	5	57kg	$13
5	1	TOSEN STARDOM (JPN)	Darren Weir	Brad Rawiller	7.5L	4	59kg	$2.40F
–	6	RADIPOLE (IRE)	Michael Moroney	Patrick Moloney	–	0	–	–