Glen Boss won't be surprised if Puissance De Lune makes a winning return on Saturday but admits the tempo of the P B Lawrence Stakes will have a major bearing on the Melbourne Cup favourite's chances.
Puissance De Lune will be given his introduction to weight-for-age racing when he resumes in the Group Two P B Lawrence over 1400 metres, a distance short of his best.
The stayer has never raced over less than 1600 metes but he does have class on his side.
And while the import scored on-speed wins in the Bendigo Cup and Queen Elizabeth Stakes over longer journeys last spring, Boss says he isn't ready to be ridden that way first-up.
Puissance De Lune is the $2.40 favourite for the Lawrence where he will take on horses such as Second Effort, Launay, Ajeeb, Pago Rock and Under The Sun who have race fitness on their side.
Boss is excited to get back aboard the entire in a race and says the six-year-old has developed into a strapping horse.
"Obviously he's drawn a little bit awkward so I'm going to have to go back and be a little conservative on him," Boss said.
"It all depends on what happens up front for him because I certainly won't be going out there doing anything stupid on him, putting him up on the speed, because he's not ready to be ridden like that. It's not his distance."
Despite that, Boss said he "wouldn't be surprised in the least" if Puissance De Lune finished over the top of his rivals even though the horse will still be carrying extra condition.
Trainer Darren Weir plans to keep Puissance De Lune to weight-for-age races heading towards the Cox Plate, en route to the Melbourne Cup.
Weir is happy with Puissance De Lune's build up to his return and says he is in good order.
"He had the hitout at Ballarat last Saturday (in a jump-out) so that has just tightened him up nicely," Weir said.