Humidor

Humidor is worth noting now after running really well from his wide draw – stall 14 – in the Prix de l’Abbaye at Longchamp on Sunday. Immediately restrained by Richard Hughes, he was held up right out the back of the 18 runners, he was last passing halfway, and he had to make his ground away from the rail on the slowest part of the track, which he did, making ground all the way to the line though to finish seventh.

This was George Baker’s gelding’s third good run in a row, he had run better than the bare form of his two previous runs at Goodwood and in the Nunthorpe suggest, making ground late on again on both occasions. Richard Hughes ran into a bit of traffic when he switched off the stands rail to begin his challenge at Goodwood, but for which he may well have been placed rather than finished sixth, and he certainly would have been much closer to Ortensia than he was. He finished strongly in the Nunthorpe too, when he probably wasn’t helped by his track position in the centre for much of the race. That was a better run than has been generally recognised, as his finishing effort was overshadowed by Ortensia’s.

He looks to be in the form of his life now, he improved throughout last season as well, and he will be interesting if he runs again this year, given that he handles soft ground well. He has had a light campaign, so it would be no surprise to see him go back to Dubai in the spring. He looks worth trying back up at six furlongs again too, given how strongly he has been finishing over five.

9th October 2012