Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune will use tomorrow’s Group 2 $200,000 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington as a stepping stone to bigger goals in the Spring.
Puissance De Lune scores breathtaking win in Queen Elizabeth Stakes. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Trainer Darren Weir will use a light Autumn campaign to prepare Puissance De Lune for his main target, the Group 1 $6m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.
The former French galloper forced Melbourne Cup market framers to list him at the top of their markets after scoring an eight length win in the Listed $250,000 Jayco Bendigo Cup (2400m) at Bendigo on October 31 followed by a breathtaking five lengths victory in the Group 3 $250,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on the final day of the Melbourne Cup carnival.
Last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon had only one run in the Autumn, winning the Blamey, before being prepared for the Spring and Weir will use the same strategy for his promising stayer.
Weir is not sure if Puissance De Lune will have one or two runs in the Autumn and will see how he handles the Blamey before making a decision if he will line up again before going for a brief break.
The 1600m of the Blamey might be too short for five year old first up but Weir is going to the races with an open mind on how he will perform.
“I’m not going there thinking he is going to win. I want him to run well and if he wins that’s great,” Weir said.
“The plan was to put him in this race, give him a run and then work out what to do after that.”
Weir thought that it was a necessity to give Puissance De Lune a light Autumn preparation so as not to let the five year old stallion get too heavy before getting ready for the Spring.
“He’s a big bull and needed a preparation and a race and he will take a lot of benefit out of it,” Weir said.
“I just want him to be finishing the race off strongly.”
“He may have another run, we’ll run in the Blamey and then we will have a meeting with the owner and see what he wants to do.”
The Group 3 $150,000 Easter Cup (2000m) at Caulfield on March 30 could be an option for Weir if he thinks that Puissance De Lune needs a second run this campaign.
Jockey Glen Boss was aboard the grey in his Bendigo Cup and Queen Elizabeth’s win and is keen to get another feel of the five year old.
“I already know he can gallop – that is a given,” Boss said.
“I just want to see what development he has made from the spring to the autumn.
“As soon as I see him under saddle, that’s what I’ll be really interested to see.”
The Mike Moroney trained Wall Street has been installed the $4 favourite for the Blamey after a fourth in the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet C.F. Orr Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on February 9 and a second with 60kg in the Listed $200,000 Sportingbet Kilmore Cup (1600m) at Kilmore on February 24.
Puissance De Lune is on the second line of betting at $4.60 just in front of the well performed Callanish at $5 and Budriguez at $8.50.
