Purple Moon退岀
Purple Moon to miss Hong Kong Vase
By David Milnes1.47PM 28 NOV 2009 Hong Kong: Last year's Hong Kong Vase runner up Purple Moon is to pass up an invitation to go one better at Sha Tin on December 13.
Luca Cumani's much travelled six-year-old, who was beaten only a short-head by Doctor Dino in the Group 1 event twelve months ago and was 9-1 with Coral this time, will now be prepared for a return to action at the Dubai Carnival at Meydan in March.
If he resurfaces in Dubai, Purple Moon will have spent almost a year on the sidelines as he was last sighted when finishing a close third to Eastern Anthem in the Group 1 Dubai Sheema Classic at Nad Al Sheba last March.
Cumani,who still plans to run Presvis in the Group 1 Hong Kong Cup on the same card, said: " Purple Moon won't be going to Hong Kong this year as he isn't quite ready. We had hoped to do Hong Kong and then Dubai with him but now we will just wait for the Carnival."
The trainer plans to be mob handed in the UAE next year with eight entries lined up for a first look at Meydan racecourse where the Carnival gets under way in January.
As well as Purple Moon, Presvis, Swop and Hebridean, Cumani has new Irish recruits Drunken Sailor, Fiery Lad, Man of Iron and Summit Surge lined up for the meeting.
Sir Michael Stoute's Hong Kong Vase hope Spanish Moon stepped up his prep when working with Hong Kong Mile entry Confront on Racecourse Side.
Khalid Abdullah's Spanish Moon was last seen when finishing an honourable fourth to his stablemate Conduit in the Breeders' Cup Turf whilst the same owner's Confront has been absent since winning a Group 3 contest at Newmarket in October.
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