Weir Believes Puissance De Lune Will Reach Peak Fitness After Turnbull Stakes

His major goal is the Group 1 Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5 but trainer Darren Weir believes that Puissance De Lune will reach his peak fitness after he runs in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes(2000m) at Flemington on Saturday.

Puissance De Lune is chasing his first win at Group 1 level in the Turnbull Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday.

Puissance De Lune is chasing his first win at Group 1 level in the Turnbull Stakes at Caulfield on Saturday. Photo by: Race Horse Photos Australia

Puissance De Lune started his 2013 Spring Racing Carnival campaign when he won the Group 2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield in August and finished second behind Foreteller in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on September 7 after tiring in the final stages of the race.

The Shamardal entire had no chance to win the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) after the race was run at an incredibly slow place and he finished four lengths behind the winner It’s A Dundeel.

The imported stayer was the only horse that made up ground from the back of the field and he ran the final 1000m, 800m, 400m and 200m faster than any other horse in the race.

Weir was very pleased with Puissance De Lune’s effort in the Underwood Stakes and told RSN this morning that the five-year-old had come out of the run in excellent condition.

“Everything is great,” Weir said.

“The horse is in good order and has a gallop on the course proper at Warrnambool tomorrow and that should have him in great shape.”

While the Melbourne Cup has always been the major target for Puissance De Lune; jockey Glen Boss has been adamant that the 2012 Queen Elizabeth Stakes winner is good enough to be victorious at weight-for-age level in the Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m).

Weir has confirmed that his star galloper will contest the $3 million race at Moonee Valley on August 26 and is confident that the entire he will head into the event 100 percent fit.

“Saturday will have him absolutely spot on for the Cox Plate; he will be rock-hard fit and have the racing in the legs and hopefully have no excuses,” Weir said.

Puissance De Lune is aiming to join Rising Fast (1954) and Makybe Diva (2005) as the only horses to have won the Turnbull Stakes, Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup in the same year.

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Thomas Hackett

Thomas is a passionate and opinionated racing journalist and punter who has been obsessed with horse racing since he backed Saintly to win the 1996 Melbourne Cup. An international racing enthusiast, he has his finger on the pulse of racing news not just from Australia but all around the world.