Cox Plate runner-up HUMIDOR is unlikely to return to racing in Saturday's C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield and is far from certain to chase next month's Australian Cup at Flemington.

Trainer Darren Weir's right-hand man Jarrod McLean said from Terang on Tuesday morning that the horse that stretched Winx in her third Cox Plate victory last October is slightly behind in his autumn preparation and his ultimate goal this campaign might shift towards a Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Randwick or even a Doomben Cup.

"He's a little bit behind," McLean conceded. "If he gets to the Australian Cup he gets there but at this stage races like the Queen Elizabeth and Doomben Cup in May are real good targets for him.

"There's no real hurry or urgency to get him to an Australian Cup."

Humidor followed his run behind Winx with a disappointing 19th in the Melbourne Cup before going for a spell. McLean said the horse preferred to be in work.

"He's not a horse that does great in the paddock," he said. "If he was to race on Saturday, he'd be a bit underdone.

"He's nominated for Saturday but at this stage I am told we'll give him one more trial and then head to the Futurity first-up."

Weir is certain to have a strong hand in the Orr Stakes despite the likely absence of Humidor as McLean said multiple Group 1 winners Tosen Stardom and Black Heart Bart are set to tackle the race alongside stablemate Brave Smash.

Despite having a soft spot for Black Heart Bart, McLean indicated it was Tosen Stardom that threatened to continue his elite-level form from the spring.

"We're really excited with him heading towards Saturday," he said. "He's wound up and he's forward and he's ready to go.

"I made the statement a couple of weeks ago when he galloped at Ballarat that he might go undefeated this preparation and I'm not back-pedalling from that.

"If he wins on Saturday, he'll certainly be a deserved favourite going towards an Australian Cup."

As for last year's Orr Stakes winner Black Heart Bart, McLean said the horse had some soundness trouble in Perth over the summer before his feet problems flared again after an unplaced Kingston Town Stakes run.

"He stayed at Lindsey's (Smith's stable) for two weeks after that and initially Lindsey said he was quite lame behind but with some anti-inflammatories and a few quiet days he came around quickly.

"I am pretty sure that was just muscle soreness.

"Since he has been back home we have had a little bit of foot problems but nowhere near as bad as what happened in the early part of the spring where he ran a couple of placings behind Hartnell.

"It hasn't been smooth sailing but it's been pretty good so if he has a few good days now we should see him present pretty well on Saturday."

Black Heart Bart galloped strongly with Burning Front at Terang on Tuesday for Damian Lane as regular rider Brad Rawiller was required to ride at Ballarat.

McLean said Brave Smash was likely to make it three Weir runners in the Orr despite coming off a first-up disappointment at short odds.

"He did go to the races underdone," McLean said. "The way he raced was disappointing. It was all upside down but he's come through it well and we've been able to work him hard since and I'm not going to drop off him just yet.

 "We're looking to ride him a little bit quieter.

"Weight-for-age over 1400 metres, he might not be good enough to beat Black Heart Bart or Tosen Stardom but it will be a nice conditioning run for him when he steps out in a handicap next time."

1. 1.

   an intentionally misrepresented proposition that is set up because it is easier to defeat than an opponent's real argument.

   "her familiar procedure of creating a straw man by exaggerating their approach"