Puissance de Lune Not to be Underestimated

Swettenham Stud's progressive young sire Puissance de Lune (IRE) posted his first stakes-winner when Moonlight Maid won the Group II VRC Edward Manifold Stakes at Flemington last Saturday and he sired another promising winner with classic aspirations on Tuesday in Southern Moon.

A close second to Adelaide Ace at his previous start in the Victoria Derby Trial at Flemington last month over 1800 metres, the Mitchell Freedman trained colt relished the step out to 2000 metres at Donald, cruising home to win by two lengths as a short priced favourite.

Entered for the Group I VRC Victoria Derby, Southern Moon is clearly on an upswing and with nearly $50,000 in prizemoney is working his way towards a start in the rich staying race for three year-olds.

Retained to race by his breeders, Southern Moon is the second winner from South Street, a winning Street Cry (IRE) mare from a family bereft of Black Type until you get back to the fifth dam, but what he does have is an interesting nick between two sires from the same family in Shamardal (sire of Puissance de Lune) and Street Cry.

Street Cry is from Helen Street and Shamardal is from a full sister to Street Cry so is a grand-son of Helen Street.

Interestingly, line breeding to Helen Street has produced four stakes-winners from just 19 runners including Shamardal's latest Group I winner Victor Ludorum, an undefeated two year-old for Godolphin that won the Group I Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at Longchamp on Sunday.

For budget conscious breeders looking to produce a classic style horse Puissance de Lune has much to recommend him as one of the few sons at stud in Australia of Shamardal, who is soaring to new heights this year with three undefeated Group I winning two year old colts in Europe for Godolphin in Pinatubo, Earthlight and the previously mentioned Victor Ludorum.

Although he was not a Group I winner, Puissance de Lune was Group I class, placed in numerous high class weight-for-age races showing his ability from 1400 metres to 2600 metres and that sort of versatility is going to take you a long way as a sire, particularly when you have an A grade pedigree to back you up.

A three-quarter brother to this year's French Group I winner Zabeel Prince and a half-brother to the dam of Champion 2YO Filly and dual Group I winner Rizeena, Puissance de Lune has a flawless international Black Type family featuring Group I winners on both sides of the Atlantic.

Puissance de Lune stands at a fee of $8,800.