Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune tops a glittering lineup of 31 nominations for Saturday’s $500,000 Grp 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington. A dominant first up winner of the P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield, the Darren Weir-trained stallion has since finished runner-up in the Grp 1 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m) and a fast-finishing seventh in the Grp 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m).

Should the six-year-old hope to claim his first Group 1 triumph at Flemington on Saturday he will have to defeat a field that includes 2012 Melbourne Cup runner-up Fiorente, Australian Cup winner Super Cool and the current top-two in the Caulfield Cup betting, Chris Waller’s stablemates Hawkspur and Royal Descent.

Also included among the Turnbull Stakes entries is a team of six from Macedon Lodge including defending Turnbull Stakes and Melbourne Cup champion Green Moon, 2012 Turnbull runner-up Seville, high profile imports Sea Moon and Masked Marvel, Sydney Cup winner Mourayan and Emirates Stakes runner-up Fawkner.

Another highlight on the 10-race, all black-type program is the $220,000 Group 2 Gilgai Stakes (1200m) which features 16 entries headed by dual Group 1 winning mare Platelet.

Other key entries in the race include fellow high-class mare Steps In Time, exciting last-start Group 2 winner Sessions, 2012 Gilgai Stakes placegetter Spirit Of Boom, multiple Stakes-winner Ready To Rip and Newmarket Handicap runner-up Aeronautical.

A cavalcade of interstate raiders features prominently among 21 nominations in the $220,000 Group 2 Blazer Stakes (1400m).

New South Wales-trained mares Catkins, Flying Snitzel and Peron head the interstate charge alongside Queenslander Fire Up Fifi, South Australian’s Maybe Discreet and Molto Bene, Kiwi Zurella, with consistent seven-year-old Hi Belle leading the Victorian defence.

The traditional Schweppes Thousand Guineas (1600m) lead-up, the $220,000 TAB Edward Manifold Stakes (1600m), has attracted 17 entries highlighted by current Thousand Guineas second favourite Politeness.

A further highlight for race fans on Saturday is the running of the first two-year-old race in Victoria for the season, the $120,000 Listed Maribyrnong Trial Stakes (1000m).

Already creating plenty of interest, the race features 20 nominations including five from Hall Of Fame trainer David Hayes.

Click here to view the full list of nominations for Turnbull Stakes Day at Flemington on Saturday