Foreteller announced himself a Spring Racing Carnival major player with an upset Group 1 victory today at Flemington. The Chris Waller-trained import nosed out raging Emirates Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance de Lune in the $350,000 Makybe Diva Stakes (1600m).

The victory came as a surprise to punters, who sent the seven-year-old around at $15, but was no surprise to those associated with Sydney’s premier stable.

“His first up run (when eight, beaten 3.6 lengths in the Warwick Stakes) was super and when he came down on Wednesday night everyone in Sydney said he was just flying up there. They were really bullish about him,” Waller’s Melbourne stable manager Justin Hales said.

Foreteller, a son of Dansili, unleashed a big finish to get home by a half-head from Puissance de Lune.

Craig Newitt settled towards the rear aboard the gelding but was able to hitch a ride on the back of Puissance de Lune ($2.35 fav) rounding the home bend before peeling to the outside of the grey and wearing him down in the straight.

The first two home dominated the race, finishing 1-3/4 lengths in advance of crowd favourite Moudre ($91), who finished third for the second year in a row.

“There was only one horse I wanted to be following and I was probably surprised he was back with us,” Newitt said.

“Chris just stressed, ‘don’t move on him until the latest possible moment’ and, to the grey horse’s (Puissance de Lune) credit he kept finding, but my bloke was just too strong.

“It was a good win, he had to reel off some good time and really tough it out. Whatever he runs in now he’s just going to be so competitive.”

Outside the placegetters, Let’s Make Adeal – the granddaughter of Let’s Elope ran a huge race for fourth – just in advance of Ethiopia, while Manighar (sixth) and Mourayan (seventh) also turned in promising runs.

Boom import Sea Moon, the heavily backed $4 second favourite, scrambled upon jumping from the barriers, causing him to miss the start by several lengths and he beat just two runners home.

Hales said Foreteller had most likely booked his spot on a BMW Caulfield Cup path with today’s win with the $400,000 Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on 21 September the probable next target.

The full result of the Makybe Diva Stakes, plus the other events on the Flemington card, are available here