Gai Waterhouse's warrior Fiorente in box seat to break her Melbourne Cup drought Hall of Fame jockey Damien Oliver and trainer Gai Waterhouse with Melbourne Cup favourite Fiorente at Flemington yesterday. GAI Waterhouse has one hand on the Melbourne Cup as Fiorente sits alone at the top of the market for tomorrow week's race after his third-place finish in the Cox Plate. One-time favourite Puissance De Lune's career is all but over, a veterinary examination this morning likely to confirm he has run his last race. Owner Gerry Ryan yesterday ruled out any prospect of the grey stallion running in the Melbourne Cup after pulling up lame. Puissance De Lune will be examined extensively at Ballarat this morning. If unable to race in the autumn, he will be retired and a stud career awaits him. After jostling with It's A Dundeel for a position in the run to the first turn, Puissance De Lune was in contention until the home turn, but weakened to beat only two of the 14 runners home. Fiorente went to the beach yesterday after his fighting third to Shamus Award, having made a scorching run. A lesser horse would have come out of Saturday's race jaded but Fiorente showed Waterhouse he is a warrior. I've never had a better chance going into a Melbourne Cup. He's sensational," Waterhouse said. Damien Oliver, who will ride Fiorente, swung by the stable to see for himself how the horse was after Blake Shinn "warmed the seat" for the suspended jockey at Moonee Valley. "The fact that he had a pretty tough run going into a Melbourne Cup and that he's pulled up well, it's going to be exciting," Oliver said. It's A Dundeel's spring campaign is over, trainer Murray Baker ordering him home to New Zealand for a spell after he ran eighth. Shamus Award will have a month off down at Barwon Heads before returning to trainer Danny O'Brien to get ready for the Australian Guineas at Flemington in the autumn. Caulfield Guineas winner Long John will go for a break. Cox Plate runner-up Happy Trails just failed to chase down the three-year-old. His long-range goal is another attempt at the Plate and connections hope it will be third-time lucky. He will run on Saturday in the $1 million Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington. Foreteller, who tracked Happy Trails home from well back to run fourth, could back up in the Mackinnon. Trainer Chris Waller still has Foreteller in the Melbourne Cup, but is unlikely to accept. Qatar-owned galloper Side Glance will race at Flemington in the Mackinnon. He ran a solid sixth at his Australian debut. Jet Away, the eye-catching run in the Caulfield Cup when fourth, must win the Mackinnon to be guaranteed a place in the Cup. Glen Boss has been booked to ride Jet Away in both races. Moonee Valley Cup winner Precedence will be nominated for the Mackinnon and Lexus Stakes on Saturday. Handicapper Greg Carpenter will announce a penalty this morning. The horse needs a re-handicap to bump him higher in the ballot order. Pat Carey has engaged Damien Oliver to ride Ethiopia in the Lexus Stakes, but Rhys McLeod, suspended until Cup eve, will be back on the horse tomorrow week.