Moon Shining In Oz

Purple Moon is continuing to please Down Under as his preparations for the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups gather pace.

Luca Cumani's Ebor winner took the long journey in his stride and is giving connections all the right signs in the Australian sun.

Cumani's daughter Francesca, who travelled with Purple Moon, said: 'We left last Sunday and arrived here on Tuesday. He took it really, really well.

'He was very relaxed, never turned a hair and ate well on the flight, so he arrived relatively fresh. Luckily his calm nature came through and he was very well behaved.'

Purple Moon has just enjoyed some light exercise since arriving, with the team more than satisfied with his fitness.

'On the first couple of days he just had a bit of a lead out walking and then we took him out on the track for a trot on Friday. Since then he's just had a couple of canters,' Cumani told At The Races.

'He did a couple of good gallops before he left so we're just giving him a bit of time to get over the flight now. He'll then just have one gallop before his race.'

Purple Moon will have his first taste of Australian racing in the Caulfield Cup before attention turns to the ?race that stops a nation'.

'That is what we intended originally and that is still the plan ? we were just waiting to see how he took the flight,' Cumani continued.

'We've got two weeks before the Caulfield Cup. It would be nice to see him in the first six but we've come here for the Melbourne Cup.

'I was told there have only been 12 horses that have won the Melbourne Cup and the Caulfield Cup in history, so it can be done.

'Obviously he'll run to the best of his ability and if he can win that would be great.'

Purple Moon, who will be partnered by Kerrin McEvoy in the Caulfield Cup and Jamie Spencer in the Melbourne Cup, is a generally-available 7-1 chance for the main event at Flemington on November 6.

(C) PA Sport