Triple Melbourne Cup winning jockey and the biggest fan of the favourite for this year’s edition of the ‘race that stops a nation’, Glen Boss is blaming himself for the last start defeat of Puissance De Lune and tips them to bounce back in the 2013 Underwood Stakes this weekend.
Puissance De Lune (grey) is set for a rematch with their last start conqueror Foreteller (brown) in Saturday's 2013 Underwood Stakes. Photo: Makybe Diva Stakes.
The Darren Weir-trained Shamardal stallion has been sitting top of the markets for the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) since their Group 3 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2600m) win last November at Flemington.
That five length effort followed an eight length romp in the Bendigo Cup and had the punters and bookies swarming on them for the Cup on the first Tuesday of November this year.
Dead-heat winner of the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) in March five-year-old Puissance De Lune resumed for this season at Caulfield on August 17.
Cementing their position as Melbourne Cup favourite the galloper took out the Group 2 PB Lawrence Stakes (1400m) before going down in their next run.
Boss, aboard the champ for all of their runs since the Bendigo Cup, guided Puissance De Lune to a devastatingly close second when just nudged out by Foreteller in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).
Instead of pointing out the horse’s shortcomings Boss, who has continued to sing them praises every run, said it was his fault they didn’t win the Makybe Diva.
“It wasn’t one of my best rides, exposing him 100m too early,” Boss admitted to the Herald Sun.
“But it was a good, solid run which will help his preparation.”
The duo get their chance to atone this Saturday at Caulfield when taking on a crack field in the $400,000 Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m).
Among Puissance De Lune’s most dangerous rivals on Saturday are the likes of Cox Plate favourite Atlantic Jewel, reigning Melbourne Cup winner Green Moon, Happy Trails, Lloyd Williams’ exciting import Sea Moon, star four-year-old It’s A Dundeel and their last start conqueror Makybe Diva winner Foreteller.
It is Chris Waller’s Dansili seven-year-old Foreteller that Boss rates as the biggest threat too.
“Forteller is a very good horse. I think perhaps that Puissance De Lune may need another run to hit his best, but he is going great,” Boss said.
The Underwood Stakes 2013 field and betting odds will be out from tomorrow making now the time to sign-up with Ladbrokes.com.au to get in on the action!
