Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune.
RACEGOERS will have to wait until the spring before seeing Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune again.
Ballarat trainer Darren Weir said yesterday that connections would stick to their plan of a one-run autumn campaign.
He said Puissance De Lune had come through his shared win in the Blamey Stakes at Flemington on Saturday in good order.
“I spoke to Gerry Ryan this morning and he’s happy to stick to the plan,” Weir said.
After Saturday’s win, Ryan said another run was not out of the question, but all plans were framed around getting Puissance De Lune into the Melbourne Cup with about 54 kilograms.
With RVL chief handicapper Greg Carpenter already thinking in the 53.5 to 54 kilograms range and with Puissance De Lune likely to win whatever race he might run in, Ryan won’t take any risks.
While a definitive spring program is yet to be decided, it is a virtual certainty it will not include the Caulfield Cup – again because of the risk of a Melbourne Cup penalty.
Puissance De Lune will spend the next few weeks at Weir’s Warrnambool stable doing beach work and will then spend six to eight weeks in the paddock.
Puissance De Lane, which has firmed to $6.50 for the Melbourne Cup with Sportsbet.com.au, is not the only spring star Weir looks to have on his hands.
Three-year-old Lonhspresso ($4.80) again caught the eye with a win in the group 2 $250,000 Centrebet Classic, 1200 metres, at Morphettville yesterday.
With Ben Melham in the saddle, Lonhspresso held off a fast-finishing Essay Raider, with the Robert Smerdon-trained Shama Wind ($4.60 favourite) hanging on for third after being caught wide.
The Lonhro filly has now won her past three starts.