The racing future of imported stayer Puissance De Lune remains in the balance; with owner Gerry Ryan still tossing up whether to race on with the entire or send him to stud.
Owner Gerry Ryan will decide whether Puissance De Lune will continue his racing career after he has scans on his injured tendon next week. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia
Puissance De Lune stamped himself as the favourite for the 2013 Melbourne Cup (3200m) with two scintillating performances in the Listed Bendigo Cup (2400m) and the Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) during the 2012 Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival but was withdrawn from ‘the race that stops a nation’ after suffering a tendon injury during the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).
The Shamardal entire had surgery on his injured tendon at the start of November and Ryan told TVN that vets are still unsure if the surgery was a success but will find out when the popular grey has scans taken at the Ballarat veterinary clinic within the next two weeks.
Ryan said that there have been offers from a number of studs for Puissance De Lune, but admitted that he would be disappointed to retire the six-year-old without a Group 1 victory on his racing resume.
“We’re getting lots of interest in him, he has a very good pedigree,” Ryan said.
“I don’t want to break the horse down, let’s see what the scans tell us.
“The disappointing thing is that we never saw him reach his true potential.
“He deserves to be a Group 1 winner, but if it wasn’t to be he could be a potential stallion.
“We’ve got to take it a day at a time and work out what is best for the horse.”
Puissance De Lune was heavily hyped heading into the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival and started his preparation with a fast-finishing victory in the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) to become a clear favourite for the Cox Plate.
The Darren Weir-trained stayer went into the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) as a clear favourite but was caught on the line by Chris Waller-trained Foreteller before working home strongly to finish seventh in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m).
Puissance De Lune hit the front with 250 metres left to run in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) a fortnight later and looked as though he had the race won but failed to let down on the firm Flemington surface and was beaten by Happy Trails.
The imported stayer was once again well-supported heading into the Cox Plate but never looked comfortable, fading in the final stages of the race to finish 12th, and was found to be lame after the race.
Puissance De Lune has recorded eight wins from his eighteen career starts since making his debut in France in 2011 and has accumulated over $750,000 for connections.
