Between them they won almost £5.5 million in prize-money during their globe-trotting careers but the latest outing for Presvis and Purple Moon saw them competing for rosettes and pocket money at the Newmarket charity in-hand show on July 15.
Globe-trotters Purple Moon and Presvis still enjoying the spotlight, this time in the show ring
The annual show, which traditionally brings the curtain down on a week of top-class racing and sales in Newmarket, features a ring dedicated to retired racehorses, with competitors this year including the former James Fanshawe-trained Spring Jim, the 114-rated sprinter Leahurst, formerly with Jeremy Noseda, and 20-year-old Aga Khan-bred Zabadi, who won 11 of his starts under Rules – two on the flat, four over hurdles and five steeplechases.
For eight-year-old Presvis, whose international career saw him chalk up 75,000 air miles as he raced in Dubai, Singapore, Hong Kong and the UK amassing £4,318,943 in earnings, this was a first foray in the show ring and he was awarded two rosettes for first and third in his classes.
He had a hard act to follow in Purple Moon, his former stable-mate at Bedford House Stables with whom he is now reunited in retirement at Luca and Sara Cumani’s Fittocks Stud. The Melbourne Cup runner-up, now nine and better known simply as ‘George’, was awarded the championship honours at the show for the second year running.
Luca Cumani’s international travelling manager Charlie Henson has roamed from Flemington to Sha Tin, Kranji and Meydan with the pair and was on hand at the Animal Health Trust to watch their progress in the show ring.
He said: “It’s great to see them enjoying their retirement. They’ve taken me all around the world and made us all really proud.”
