Darren Weir-trained stayer Puissance De Lune facing most difficult challenge in Makybe Diva Puissance De Lune is unbeaten at his past four starts and has captured the publics imagination. Picture: Nicole Garmston Source: HeraldSun THE hype says yes, the punters and bookies say yes, and the string of eye-catching wins says yes. However, tomorrow is D-day for Cox Plate and Melbourne Cup hot shot Puissance De Lune as he faces his first crack at a Group 1 against horses of a quality he has never faced before, in the 1600m Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. The markets reflect the challenge for Puissance De Lune, who drifted from $1.75 to $1.95 with Centrebet yesterday - and could start as long as $2.20 - as support flooded for import Sea Moon, in from $7 into $5. As trainer Darren Weir put it bluntly: "It is crunch time. It is time to see where he fits in. He has never taken on a Group 1 race and the better horses, so it is time to see. We'll all certainly know more after the race. Puissance De Lune currently sits a $7 equal second favourite behind Atlantic Jewel ($3) for the Cox Plate and is a dominant $5 favourite for the Melbourne Cup, the only runner in single-figure odds. Puissance De Lune easily wins the P.B Lawrence Stakes at Caulfield last month. All that would change dramatically if he failed to live up to his hype tomorrow in the big league. "He has done everything we have asked so far, winning really well, but that was against lesser-quality gallopers," Weir said. There were no Cox Plate or Melbourne Cup horses in the races we have won along the way. We must face the best of the best sooner or later, and the Makybe Diva Stakes on Saturday is the place we will find out. In the back of our minds all along is that our goals - the Cox Plate and the Melbourne Cup - are a long way away, not in time but in the step up in grade. If you think you can win one of them, you would want to be competitive in a race like the Makybe Diva Stakes. Puissance De Lune worked up and down the sand dunes at Warrnambool yesterday, following work on a treadmill on Tuesday morning and a trial last Saturday. Foreman Mitch Freedman saddles up Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance de Lune during trackwork session at Lady Bay beach in Warrnambool. He is in great order. I am really looking forward to the race," Weir said. There are plenty of really well-performed gallopers in the race and this easily is his toughest assignment. Puissance De Lune is unbeaten at his past four starts and has captured the public's imagination. He won last year's Bendigo Cup by eight lengths, and then streeted the opposition in the 2600m Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Flemington. After a break and a minor leg operation, he dead-heated with Budriguez in the Blamey Stakes in March, and returned for this campaign with a win in the Group 2 Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield three weeks ago. Tomorrow's top-bracket competition includes Sea Moon, Manighar, Mr Moet, Mourayan, Foreteller, Ethiopia, December Draw and Waldpark. The betting crunch yesterday suggests he's doing the right things up at Mt Macedon. There are few more gifted horses in the world and with so much up-side. The most interesting runner anywhere in Australia this weekend. Very. He looked superb in winning first-up at Caulfield, but gobbled up a field of winter horses that day. That said, many of the big names here will peak two or three runs down the track. Probably, but likely to be just one every decade. The imports in local hands are now a relentless army. Doubt it? Check out the key runners in the Chelmsford in Sydney and the Makybe Diva. We await the next Northerly. Until then, good luck to Ethiopia and Mr Moet. Ethiopia is interesting. Bog track thwarted his autumn cameo in the Doncaster and was skittled in last year's Melbourne Cup. More mature and still has X factor. You can never rule out an import, hence will be interesting to see Masked Marvel and Waldpark. CAUTHEN (Race 2, No.2) $3.25 Shapes as one of the best NZ colts for 20 years but might have to overcome a wide gate against better drawn Long John and Shamus Award. The three-year-old depth is staggering as this is the minor race of the day. The Danehill Stakes (R5) is incredibly deep. Both races will shape the Caulfield Guineas. MONKSTONE (Race 2, No.10) $7.50 Not expected to test Cauthen and Co first-up but showed huge potential at first two starts before a break. Suspect Peter Moody might be eyeing the Derby, a race he won with Amalfi in 2001. GREGERS (Race 5, No.17) $5 Star filly unbeaten this campaign but will be each-way odds in a strong race. Not quite as impressive second-up but suspect better with a smother, rather than leading. Faces a gaggle of star colts, including unbeaten Safeguard, also Hill Spy and Kiss A Rose. REBEL DANE (Race 7, No.3) $2.80 With Black Caviar retired and Hay List fading, Rebel Dane might be the best sprinter in the land, at least up there with Bel Sprinter. Showed dazzling turn of foot winning first-up in Sydney. Having straight hitout en route to the Rupert Clarke Stakes at Caulfield. SERTORIUS (Race 7, No.11) $10 Hard for the battlers to share the spotlight with the big boys these days, but this Geelong-trained gelding will be a worthy miler this spring. Showed grit to win a string of races last spring. Had good break, aiming at the Toorak. MAKYBE DIVA STAKES (1600m) Flemington, 3.30pm tomorrow $1.90 Puissance De Lune $6 Sea Moon $7 Manighar $9 December Draw $15 Mr Moet $16 Foreteller $18 Waldpark $26 Ethopia COX PLATE (2040m) Moonee Valley, October 26 $3 Atlantic Jewel $7 Its A Dundeel, Puissance De Lune $9 Super Cool $17 Fiorente, Sea Moon $21 Green Moon, Prince Harada $26 Beaten Up, Carlton House, Waldpark MELBOURNE CUP (3200m) Flemington, November 5 $5 Puissance De Lune $14 Fiorente, Green Moon, Sea Moon $21 Dandino, Brown Panther, Mount Athos $26 Hawkspur, Dunaden, Its A Dundeel, Jet Away, Royal Descent, Seville, Simenon, Super Cool, Verema. Odds: TAB Sportsbet