Puissance De Lune had his first ever look at Moonee Valley this morning and both trainer Darren Weir and jockey Glen Boss are confident that the talented entire will be at the top of his game in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) next Saturday.

Puissance De Lune and Glen Boss at Moonee Valley this morning. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia

The former Melbourne Cup favourite worked alongside stablemate Lake Sententia over 1600 metres and finished clear of the classy mare who finished an unlucky fourth behind Fire Up Fifi in the Group 2 Blazer Stakes (1410m) at Flemington a fortnight ago.

Weir told TVN that today’s gallop was all about giving Puissance De Lune at look at the tricky Moonee Valley track and said that he was happy with the work.

“It’s just something different to try to switch him on a bit, get him a bit more focused,” Weir told AAP.

“I was keen to get him here and have a look at the Valley because obviously he hasn’t seen it before and Glen said he felt really well on it and he looked to work really well so I am really pleased with the outcome.”

Puissance De Lune drifted in betting markets for both the Melbourne Cup (3200m) and Cox Plate (2040m) after he finished a narrow second behind Happy Trails in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (200m) but Weir said that his goal has always been to have the son of Shamardal peaking on Cox Plate day.

“The plan all along was to try to have him at the top of his game for the Cox Plate,” Weir said.

“We’ve had him so that he improves with each run and looking at him today he looks in pretty good order and the way he pulled up his fitness levels are more or less spot on now.”

Boss has rated Puissance De Lune alongside past Cox Plate winners Ocean Park and Makybe Diva since the beginning of the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival and maintains that the five-year-old is the only horse that he would want to be on in the $3.5 million Group 1 Australasian Weight-For-Age Championship next weekend.

“He’s trimmed-up in the last three to four weeks and he’s ready to put it on the line now,” Boss said.

“The horse felt great, he looks great and I wouldn’t swap him for any other ride in the race.”

Puissance De Lune ($9) is the on the fourth line of Cox Plate betting markets behind  Atlantic Jewel ($2.30), Fiorente ($5) and It’s A Dundeel ($6).