Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance de Lune will need to defy over half a century of history if he is to take out this weekend’s P.B. Lawrence Stakes on his way to November glory.
Victory in Saturday’s Group 2 Lawrence Stakes would have the six-year-old import blaze a unique path towards the first Tuesday in November, with none of the 64 winners of the Lawrence Stakes, formerly known as the J.J. Liston Stakes, having gone on to win the Melbourne Cup.
A traditionally poor Cups reference, the Lawrence Stakes has only been contested by five Melbourne Cup winners since its inauguration in 1949, the most recent being Subzero back in 1992.
However such historical hindrances have failed to dampen the enthusiasm of punters, who have installed the Darren Weir trained stayer a $2.40 pre-post favourite on the back of an impressive jump out at Ballarat last Saturday.
Puissance de Lune worked home well over 900m, seemingly unperturbed by the almost waterlogged condition of the track.
Jockey Glen Boss was effusive in his praise for the former French-trained galloper following his early morning hit out.
“I was just really taken by his physical appearance more than anything,” Boss said.
“He has really made significant improvement as far as his conditioning goes and he looks fantastic. Weiry says he’s put on 40kg, and he’s put on every bit of that, maybe more.
“I definitely won’t be rushing to put him in a spot (on Saturday), I’ll let him find his feet and I won’t be doing anything silly on him early. If they go quick enough up front for him he is going to be very, very strong through the line.”
Boss will be relying on the early speed of those drawn inside him, with renowned front-runner Ajeeb likely to dictate the tempo of the race from barrier three.
While the sprinters’ journey of the P.B. Lawrence will be as foreign to Puissance de Lune as the Caulfield circuit it’s held on, the Irish-bred gelding does have an imposing fresh record in his favour.
Since transferring to the Darren Weir yard, Puissance de Lune has won at two of his three first-up attempts, including a dead heat in the G2 Blamey Stakes over 1600m at Flemington last autumn.
The Melbourne Cup remains the ultimate Spring Carnival aim for Puissance de Lune, however Boss warned punters against disregarding the popular grey over the 2040m weight-for-age trip of the Cox Plate.
“I’ve got no doubt about him being a top weight-for-age horse” Boss emphatically stated.
“He’s a better horse than (2012 Cox Plate winner) Ocean Park, don’t worry about that. Ocean Park was a real good toiler, a very good horse, but he was knocking around with horses like Alcopop and Sincero – nice horses but not real weight-for-age horses.”
“He has the attributes that weight-for-age horses should have, especially when he gets to his proper trip. He has got to go out and do it still, but if he isn’t a weight-for-age horse I don’t know what is”
The Cox Plate to Melbourne Cup path mapped out for Puissance de Lune is not dissimilar to two of Boss’other Cox Plate heroes in Makybe Diva and So You Think.
While never short of confidence, Boss was quick to draw the line when comparisons to the greats were made.
“I’m not saying he’s another So You Think, or as good as the mare, but he’s a seriously classy horse. I’ve got no doubts about him being a top weight-for-age horse and I’ve got no real doubt about running two miles in the Melbourne Cup.
“He ran out a pretty strong 2500m in the Queen Elizabeth last spring and he was a weakling back then.
“It’s what you want to see. The bar’s been raised pretty high for him this spring. He’s the Melbourne Cup favourite and a Cox Plate chance. He’s furnished into the sort of horse who can lift to what’s expected of him.
“This horse has got a great set of lungs. It’s going to take him a long way in a Melbourne Cup.”
Puissance de Lune is currently $6.50 favourite to win the Melbourne Cup, and $9 fourth-elect in the Cox Plate
Follow Daniel on twitter @danielmiles90
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