Worst day of career, says Weir after Humidor, Kings Will Dream injuries
Cox Plate Day was a triumph for superstar racemare Winx, but for Melbourne's champion trainer Darren Weir it was a nightmare, the worst day of his training career.
Weir lost the best horse in his stable - Humidor - to injury, while one of his other top liners, Kings Will Dream, remains on the critical list.
Humidor was gallant in defeat and finished third in the Cox Plate, having run second the previous year. Kings Will Dream was pulled up by his Irish jockey John Allen as the field turned into the back straight.
''It wasn't a great race for the stable, the Cox Plate,'' Weir said at the launch of the Melbourne Cup carnival at Flemington.
''It's probably one of the worst days at the races that I have had, to lose a couple of great horses like that.''
Weir explained that Humidor had some swelling in a front leg after recovering from his exertions.
''Probably the spring is over which is unfortunate as the horse was going great, but he will come back and be fine for the future,'' said Weir, explaining that he will now miss the Mackinnon Stakes, the $2 million feature of the final day of the carnival.
''It just looks like he has one bit of his suspensory that has got a little bit of filling in it. I am sure if we stop now he will be fine. He's been a beautiful sound horse, it's just unfortunate.
''The vets have looked at him. He will get all the right procedures done and we will get to the bottom of it. These things happen every day in our stable, it's just unfortunate that it's happened to the better ones.''
Kings Will Dream's future remains in the balance, although Weir stressed that his Cox Plate injury had nothing to do with the injury he had sustained in the Caulfield Cup a week earlier.
''I am just keeping in touch with the vet, they just said everything is stabilised, it's just time now. He just needs rest. He will have a bone scan at the end of the week when things have all settled down and we will know the significance of the damage. He's got a pelvis injury.
''I just want to make it clear that it had nothing to do with the previous week. It was just one of these unfortunate things that happen in racing.''
Weir has two long shots in the Melbourne Cup in Japanese import Tosen Basil and former German galloper Red Cardinal, while he will look to get Gallic Chieftain and Yogi into the race by winning the Hotham Handicap on Saturday.
''We have two or three running trying to sneak into the field. They can't get in the race any other way.''
His two qualified horses are out of form and he said that he might try blinkers on Tosen Basil.
''The ability is there, we have just got to try and work out how to get it out.''
Weir has a strong hand in the Oaks in the shape of favourite Verry Elleegant, who will run in the Wakeful Stakes on Saturday before backing up the following Thursday, while he will look to land the Victoria Derby with Savoie and Extra Brut.
''We think she (Verry Elleegant) needs to run (on Saturday) because it will be hard for her to overrace like she did at her previous start and then to run a strong 2500. We would be galloping her over 2000m in preparation for the Oaks, so she can run and go back to Warrnambool and have a quiet week.''
Savoie was narrowly beaten in the Vase at Moonee Valley last Saturday, while Extra Brut disappointed behind Derby favourite Thinkin' Big at Caulfield last time out.
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