Popular stayer Puissance De Lune has run his last race.
Trainer Darren Weir confirmed the multiple Group One placegetter had been retired after another racing campaign was aborted.
Puissance De Lune
“He’s retired now, he’s going to stud,” Weir said.
“He just had a little joint problem so we just decided to stop. (Owner) Gerry Ryan just said he’s been a really good horse for him and for me and he said we’ll just stop.
“Hopefully he can do the job as a stallion now.”
An import from France, Puissance De Lune emerged as a potential star with big-margin wins in the Bendigo Cup and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington in the spring of 2012.
Those wins earned him early favouritism for the following year’s Melbourne Cup.
He returned from having a bone chip removed to share victory with Budriguez in the Group Two Blamey Stakes in an autumn cameo in 2013.
He returned in the spring with a convincing Group Two Peter Lawrence Stakes win at weight-for-age.
He just missed out on a Group One win, finishing second in the Makybe Diva Stakes and Turnbull Stakes during the 2013 spring.
After his unplaced run in the 2013 Cox Plate he was found to have a tendon injury which meant another long break.
The grey entire’s four-run campaign last spring netted two more Group One placings with thirds in the Memsie Stakes and Makybe Diva Stakes before his final start fourth in the Turnbull Stakes.
Puissance De Lune won eight of his 22 starts and Weir said race fans never saw the best of the son of Shamardal.
“It was a shame that things went wrong,” Weir said.
“It’s unfortunate but he was a good horse and I think he’ll make a good stallion.”
In better news for Weir, dual Group One winner Trust In A Gust is gearing up for his return.
“Trust In A Gust will resume in the William Reid and Lucky Hussler will probably resume in the same race,” Weir said.
Trust In A Gust won the Rupert Clarke Stakes and Toorak Handicap in the spring while Lucky Hussler was beaten by a head in the Group One Emirates Stakes (1600m) won by Hucklebuck.
