A year ago, Puissance De Lune ran in the P B Lawrence Stakes as arguably the most talked about horse in the country leading into the spring carnival.

He was the Melbourne Cup favourite and returned with a win in the early season Group Two weight-for-age race at Caulfield.

It was to be his only win for the season.

After Group One seconds in the Makybe Diva Stakes and Turnbull Stakes, the grey entire was unplaced in the Cox Plate and then ruled out for the rest of the season because of a tendon injury which required surgery.

Puissance De Lune makes his comeback at Caulfield on Saturday in the P B Lawrence Stakes (1400m).

This time around he is not the Melbourne Cup favourite or the hype horse going into the carnival.

But that does not mean there is less pressure or expectation on him.

“Expectation is still pretty high because he needs to win a Group One race for his stallion career,” trainer Darren Weir said.

“That’s our goal.”

Puissance De Lune has been nominated for the Cox Plate and Caulfield Cup and is reasonably high in betting but an early season Group One, the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on September 13, is the focus.

“He will run in the (Group One) Memsie next and then the Makybe Diva third-up,” Weir said.

“It’s a different approach because we are training him like a miler. Not a two miler.”

Puissance De Lune has had a couple of public gallops at Warracknabeal ahead of his return and had a jump-out at Donald last Thursday.

He will round out his preparations with a gallop at Warrnambool on Tuesday and Weir said he had been really happy with the horse’s build-up.

“He’s very similar in condition to last year, except last year he wasn’t coming off a long break,” Weir said.

Brad Rawiller reunites with Puissance De Lune.

He lost the ride on the import because of suspension leading into the Bendigo Cup in 2012 and has not ridden him in a race since.

The P B Lawrence has attracted 16 nominations including dual Group One winner Foreteller, the Chris Waller-trained galloper who beat Puissance De Lune in last year’s Makybe Diva Stakes.

Peter Moody has nominated this year’s Blamey Stakes winner Lidari as well as 2012 Queensland Derby winner Brambles and import Kitten On The Run.