Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune heads a quality list of 12 nominations in Saturday’s Group 2 Back To Caulfield P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield. Currently rated the $6.50 favourite for the Melbourne Cup with TAB fixed odds, the Darren Weir-trained import created a massive impression during separate wins in the Bendigo Cup and Queen Elizabeth Stakes during the 2012 Spring Racing Carnival.
Despite only making one appearance during the 2013 Melbourne Festival of Racing, the six-year-old lost no admirers with a brilliant dead-heat victory in the Blamey Stakes at Flemington.
Among the possible rivals for Puissance De Lune on Saturday include the defending P.B. Lawrence champion Second Effort, who showed he was going as well as ever with a last-start victory in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m), the promising Mick Price-trained four-year-old Ajeeb, in-form sprinter Pago Rock and Gai Waterhouse’s Under The Sun.
Peter Moody has also nominated a trio of interesting potential P.B. Lawrence Stakes runners including Sneak A Peek, Port Adelaide Guineas victor High Esteem and French import Kesampour, who hasn’t been seen since finishing 13th in the Group 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe for his previous trainer Mikel Delzangles.
Another highlight on the eight-race program promises to be the Group 3 Cockram Stakes (1200m) for the mares which features 24 nominations headed Leon Corstens’ exciting four-year-old Commanding Jewel.
Yet to race since her exciting victory in the Group 1 Thousand Guineas (1600m) last October after suffering a minor injury during the autumn, the three-quarter sister to Mark Kavanagh’s unbeaten star Atlantic Jewel is being aimed at the Sportingbet Cox Plate in October.
Should Commanding Jewel wish to resume in the winner’s stall on Saturday, she could have to defeat a high class field that includes defending Cockram Stakes champion Lady Melksham, impressive last start-Caulfield winner Octavia, Group 1 Australian Guineas runner-up You’re So Good and Group 2 Stocks Stakes victor Oasis Bloom.
A host of exciting three-year-olds could also step out at Caulfield on Saturday in the the Group 3 Vain Stakes (1100m) for the colts and geldings and the Group 3 Quezette Stakes (1100m) for the fillies.
Among 15 nominations in the Vain Stakes are Blue Diamond Stakes runner-up Fast ‘N’ Rocking, VRC Sires Produce Stakes runner-up Shamus Award, the exciting unbeaten Peter Snowden-trained colt Safeguard, Peter Moody’s Il Cavallo and impressive first-up winner Clevadude.
ATC Sires Produces Stakes runner-up Scandiva heads a list of 19 entries in the Quezette Stakes that also features the Peter Snowden-trained pair of Montsegur and Metastasio, the Peter Moody’s unbeaten pair Kiss A Rose and Spirit Of Heaven and Blue Diamond Preview placegetter Swing Vote.
In the fifth stakes race on the program, the Listed Regal Roller Stakes (1200m), Peter Moody again features prominently among the list of 24 nominations with four entries headed Strawberry Boy.
Other key nominations in the race include Newcastle Newmarket winner Bello, Australia Stakes victor Sea Lord, stakes-winning mare Serene Star and Our Miss Jones, who hasn’t been since suffering an injury after winning at Moonee Valley 12 months ago.
Click here to view the full list of nominations for Caulfield on Saturday