Big race jockey Glen Boss is confident that Puissance De Lune can rubber stamp his high Spring rating when he makes his Group 1 debut in the $350,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on Saturday.
Puissance De Lune winning the PB Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.
Boss has been aboard the Darren Weir trained grey at his last four starts for four wins and can see no problem with the six year old taking on the seasoned Group 1 performers.
“He hasn’t won a Group 1 yet, he hasn’t contested one and this is his first opportunity at this level and I am confident he will come through with flying colours,” Boss told the Sportsman.
“He really has that X factor and when he gets out to a trip we are really going to see what he is capable of.”
Puissance De Lune has held down the top spot in Melbourne Cup markets since winning the Group 3 $250,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington last November by five lengths and has done nothing since to lose that position.
Boss was wrapped in the grey’s first up win in the Group 2 $220,000 Back To Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield three weeks ago and a subsequent trial at Ballarat last Saturday morning kept the smile on his face.
“He had lengths on them as far as class goes at Caulfield, but he was quite big in condition. At the end of the day you’d like to see him do that to that field,” Boss said.
“He is coming along slowly in fitness levels and he still has plenty of speed in his legs because it is a mile.”
Even though Boss is confident that Puissance De Lune can win, he still has great respect for the rest of the field that includes eight Group 1 winners.
The Lloyd Williams owned English import Sea Moon is not a Group 1 winner yet but has come to Australia very highly rated and holds a lot of interest as he steps out for the first time for trainer Robert Hickmott.
“A horse like Sea Moon, wow, he’s one of the best horses that has ever come to Australia so it will be interesting to see what he can do fresh,” Boss said.
“He might come out and just brain us, who knows, he could do anything under race conditions.”
Puissance De Lune is the predictable short price favourite for the Makybe Diva Stakes at $2.15 with Sea Moon the closest in the betting at $5 with proven weight for age star Manighar at $8.
And in Melbourne Cup markets, Puissance De Lune is the $6.50 top pick with Sea Moon at $11 alongside of last year’s runner up, the Gai Waterhouse trained Fiorente.
