Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune has resumed with a dead-heat victory in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.After an agonising wait for connections, the Darren Weir-trained French import and consistent South Australian gelding Budriguez couldn't be split at the end of the $220,000 event.Asked if he'd changed his mind that Puissance De Lune could win the 2013 Melbourne Cup, jockey Glen Boss replied "how could you possibly?""That's the shortest distance that he
Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune has resumed with a dead-heat victory in the Group 2 Blamey Stakes (1600m) at Flemington.
After an agonising wait for connections, the Darren Weir-trained French import and consistent South Australian gelding Budriguez couldn't be split at the end of the $220,000 event.
Asked if he'd changed his mind that Puissance De Lune could win the 2013 Melbourne Cup, jockey Glen Boss replied "how could you possibly?"
"That's the shortest distance that he could be competitive at," Boss explained.
"He's come back looking identical to what he left. He just backed up what I thought he could do, he wasn't expected to do that well first up.
With Budriguez assuming his usual role in front, Boss settled Puissance De Lune in fifth position on the rail early in running before being held up for a run and only gaining a clear run approaching the 200 metre mark.
Still at least three lengths off Budriguez who had kicked a length clear of the rest, once into clear galloping room, Puissance De Lune charged at the leader and probably hit the front in the shadows of the post only for Budriguez to get his nose down on the line and snatch a dead-heat.
"I got slightly held up behind a couple of horses that were going slow when I wanted to go quicker, but once he got into the clear he ripped home and made up three or four lengths very quickly," Boss said.
Speaking straight after the race, Weir said he wasn't sure where too next for the Melbourne Cup favourite, explaining that he was ecstatic with the horse's performance.
"I'm not sure really, he's probably gone well enough today that we'll just let him get over it and then decide in the next few days," Weir said before later indicating that he'd likely be put away until the spring.
The dead-heat was the third of four wins for Craig Williams who was aboard Budriguez.
He up earlier victories aboard Montsegur in the Group 3 Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes (1200m) and Crystal Web in the Listed MSS Security Plate (1100m) with a barnstorming last-to-first win aboard Flying Snitzel in the Group 2 Kewney Stakes (1400m).
Speaking after the dead-heat result, Williams said a late decision in running was probably the difference between the David Jolly-trained Budriguez sharing the prize and losing.
"He was starting to go a little-bit right handed and over the last little bit I just had to risk letting him lay out rather than trying to turn his head and that's probably the reason why I'm standing here talking to you know," Williams said.
"Flemington is a big imposing straight for front running horses and he stood up to the mark once again and did a great job to go past the line alongside the Melbourne Cup favourite."