Puissance De Lune is set to return to the races in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 16 after he impressed trainer Darren Weir with an exhibition gallop between races at Warracknabeal yesterday.
Puissance De Lune will have the chance to score back-to-back P.B. Lawrence Stakes victories at Caulfield next month. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Puissance De Lune suffered an injured tendon when finishing 12th in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley on October 26 last year and there was speculation that entire would be sent to stud, but the tendon surgery that the son of Shamardal underwent last year looks to have proved a success.
The Group 1 placegetter worked strongly alongside stablemate Streets Away at Warracknabeal yesterday afternoon and jockey Brad Rawiller is confident that the popular grey is ready for his return to racing in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes.
“He went terrific,” Rawiller told TVN.
“He was great in himself and it was a good strong gallop; it is what Darren (Weir) was after.
“I can’t be happier, he has had a nice blow when he has pulled up, but that will sharpen him up.
“When he first went on to the track I thought he was going to show some of his bull qualities, but as soon as we went 100m on to the track he was good as gold and that is a good sign this early on in the preparation.
“It is going to be a long road ahead, but he is ticking along well now.”
Puissance De Lune stamped himself as the favourite for the 2013 Melbourne Cup with dominant wins in both the Listed Bendigo Cup (2400m) and Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) before taking out the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) in a deadheat during the 2013 Melbourne Festival Of Racing.
The six-year-old started his spring preparation with an impressive victory in the P.B. Lawrence Stakes and went into the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 7, but was narrowly denied a maiden win at the highest level of racing by Foreteller.
Puissance De Lune made up ground without threatening in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) and finished second in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) before suffering an injury in the Cox Plate that ruled him out of the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m).
Puissance De Lune will run in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 13 before Weir decides what path the talented entire will follow for the rest of the 2014 Spring Racing Carnival.
