Weir keen for Puissance De Lune to begin Spring campaign

Trainer Darren Weir will be happy tomorrow night if Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune gets through his first Spring Carnival test at Caulfield tomorrow unscathed.

Puissance De Lune

Puissance De Lune was in a race of his own winning the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Fllemington. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Puissance De Lune is having his first run since undergoing surgery to remove bone chips from his front fetlock joints when he lines up in the Group 2 $220,000 Back To Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) as a short priced favourite.

The grey import is making his first race track appearance since dead heating with Budriguez in the Group 2 $220,000 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington on March 9 and Weir will be relieved when the race is over.

“II just want him to run well and we can go from there,” Weir told the Sportsman.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him run with no expectations.”

Weir said that Puissance De Lune has completely recovered from the surgery and was feeling lucky that the rehabilitation went so smoothly.

“We’ve been lucky,’ Weir said.

“He had an old small chip in one joint and he chipped the other fetlock in the race.”

“They were only small chips but they had to come out and it has been a really good decision so far because his joints have been terrific.”

Puissance De Lune has been the early favourite for the Group 1 $6.2m Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 5 since his five lengths win in the Group 3 $250,000 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) at Flemington on the final day of last year’s Melbourne Cup Carnival.

Glen Boss said at the time that he was the horse to beat this year and continued his high praise for the six year old after several impressive gallops leading up to his first Spring appearance.

If all goes well and Weir is happy with Puisance De Lune’s progress following the P B Lawrence Stakes, he will stick to a weight for age program leading towards the first Tuesday in November and most likely head to  the Group 1 $350,000 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on August 31.

Puissance De Lune is currently a dominant $2.60 favourite for the P B Lawrence with his nearest rival Bletchingly Stakes winner Second Effort at $5.25 and Launay in close proximity at $5.50.

While in Melbourne Cup markets the Shamardal stallion is the $8 top pick ahead last year’s runner-up Fiorente at $11 and Lloyd Williams’ high profile import Sea Moon at $13.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.