Son of Puissance de Lune a classic chip off old block

Floating could well end up scripting racing’s latest “son of a gun” story — and the comparisons will be on in earnest.

The promising and dynamic backmarker takes the next cautious step in a Midway Class 1 over 1500m at the feature Hawkesbury meeting on Tuesday. A lightly raced four-year-old gelded son of Puissance de Lune, Floating is seemingly a classic “chip off the old block” galloper in more ways than one.

A flashing grey just like his old man, he’s been taken along quietly by in-form Warwick Farm trainer Matthew Smith. Floating didn’t debut until February this year when he worked home okay at this track after a wide run.
He then produced a similar effort at Canberra 17 days later, but connections knew there was something special under the “bonnet”, and he was out for the autumn and most of winter.

When Floating returned he immediately showed what was to come, charging home from a mile back to finish just over a length from winner Sir Ming in a Hawkesbury Maiden for the boys over 1100m.

Then on September 24 at Newcastle he produced a staggering and luckless run on a heavy track that was hard to make up ground, coming from a long last to be beaten less than a length behind Sir Kerm who has since progressed to Saturday BM 72 Midway grade.

Yet that was just a teaser, 17 days later at the same track he scored a brilliant win from the back by four lengths, eased down on the line after rounding the field up in a heartbeat on a day dominated by on-pace runners.

Floating now steps up a further furlong to 1500m in a somewhat trickier and smaller field, but his wet-track prowess should see him jump a clear-cut favourite.

And naturally, the best is yet to come.