Racing: Waterhouse says Fiorente ready to produce his best

Gai Waterhouse said she spoke to the suspended Oliver soon after Saturday's race. Photo / APN

Melbourne Cup favourite Fiorente has come through his Cox Plate run in good order and will be ready to produce his best next week.

Fiorente ran one of the best Melbourne Cup trials of the spring, when third to Shamus Award in Saturday's Cox Plate and will go straight into the A$6 million Cup.

Trainer Gai Waterhouse said the imported galloper would have an easy couple of days and would resume work with his Cup rider Damien Oliver midweek.

"He pulled up really well and went to the beach this morning," Waterhouse said yesterday.

"He's a really happy horse."

Waterhouse said she spoke to the suspended Oliver soon after Saturday's race and received a positive analysis from the two-time Cup-winning rider.

Fiorente is the $5.50 Cup favourite ahead of the internationals Mount Athos and Dandino, who are at $10.

Mount Athos worked at Werribee where the international brigade is quarantined with trainer Luca Cumani on hand after arriving in Melbourne early yesterday.

Cumani was pleased with the horse's condition and will give him a more severe test later in the week.

The 2011 Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden also galloped at Werribee, where he worked a comfortable 1400m in between two steady canters, while Irish raider Simenon did his regular 5000m canter.

Dandino, the Caulfield Cup runner-up, didn't emerge from his stable at Werribee, but owner Darren Dance confirmed all was well with the horse.

However, the news is all bad for one-time Melbourne Cup favourite Puissance De Lune, who may have run his last race.

The 6-year-old was found to be lame after beating just two runners to the line in the Cox Plate and was ruled out of the Cup.

He will undergo a thorough veterinary examination today to determine the extent of the injury after which his owner Gerry Ryan and trainer Darren Weir will discuss his racing future.

The French import had finished second in two group one races this spring but a win at the highest level would boost his future stud value.

Ryan won the 2010 Cup with French horse Americain, who stood his first Southern Hemisphere season at Swettenham Stud this year.

- AAP