Dylan Thomas In Powerful Form

Trackwork for the international challengers for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Races 2007 commenced in earnest at Sha Tin on Monday morning and Dylan Thomas, the highest-rated active horse in the world, looked in powerful form as he put in a strong canter on the all-weather under his regular world rider, Pat Lillis.

Trainer Aidan O?Brien?s travelling head lad, Pat Keating, later confirmed the wellbeing of Europe?s Horse of the Year ahead of his swansong in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase this Sunday, 9 December.

'He?s thriving in this good weather and he seems in good order. We just kept him ticking over in Japan as well as we could, and I?ve been very happy with him since he?s been here,' Keating said.

'This track will suit him much better than Monmouth Park where he was never travelling on the very soft ground. He?s had a long season, true enough, but he seems to be holding his form - he?s a tough horse. You only have to look at his record for proof of that.'

Ballydoyle?s other international runner, Excellent Art, runner-up last time out in the Breeders? Cup Mile, also looked well as he put in a regulation canter on the all weather under his work rider Keith Dalton.

Trainer Aidan O?Brien will be at Sha Tin on Wednesday morning to oversee his runners? final preparation.

Several other major chances for the Turf World Championships were on show on Monday morning.

The likely second favourite for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Sprint, Miss Andretti, last week voted Australia?s Horse of the Year, pleased Lee Freedman with a light jog on the sand under her regular partner Scott Magee.

'I?m very happy with what I saw this morning. She?s relaxed, her weight is good, and she?s raring to go,' enthused Hall of Fame trainer Freedman.

'Tomorrow we will look to give her a decent gallop on the course proper and that should bring her to her peak. The new facilities here are great and my foreman Scotty tells me she?s settled in really well.'

Viva Pataca, assured to start favourite for the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Cup, has, John Moore said, 'had a preparation that?s gone as exactly according to plan and he?s definitely the one to beat.'

'He?s going better now than when he won the [Cathay Pacific International] Cup Trial the other day. And he?s definitely better now than when we saw him win those two Gr.1 races [Audemars Piguet QEII Cup and Champions & Chater Cup] towards the end of last season,' Moore added.

'I had had a lot of viral problems in the yard this time 12 months ago and I?ve been a lot more vigilant this year. Viva Pataca hasn?t given us a moment?s worry in the run-up to this race so we?re pretty confident.'

Leading local Mile fancy Good Ba Ba, winner of the Cathay Pacific International Mile Trial last month, completed his final piece of fast work over 1200m on the turf, completing the final two furlongs in 22.6 sec much to the satisfaction of trainer Andreas Schutz.

'His preparation has gone very well and he pulled up nicely after that piece of work. Olivier Doleuze had a nice hold of him and he was very positive when he pulled up,' Schutz reported.

'I surely believe there is a degree of improvement in him for this race. I hadn?t pushed him for the Mile Trial because this is the ?big go? for us. I think I?ve got him in really good shape and if it?s good enough, we?ll see on Sunday. We?ll just keep him quiet until race day now and we?re just hoping for a good draw. Everything else we can influence I believe has been taken care of,' Schutz concluded.

Good Ba Ba is likely to be foremost in Hong Kong punters? thoughts for the Mile, but John Moore urged race fans not to discount Joyful Winner.

'Douglas Whyte dismounted after the Mile Trial and said if I could improve this horse by another length or so, then I?d be right on Good Ba Ba?s flanks in the main event. I think I?ve done that - I believe he is now 100 per cent fit now,' Moore asserted.

'This year I have made a big effort to help him along after his trip in June to Japan and it has made the difference. He looks very well in his coat, his last run was very promising so I?m looking forward to a great run.'

Moore believes the chances of his surprise pillar-to-post Champions Mile hero, Able One, depend on the tempo of the race.

'I think the bottom line with Able One is that he?s over classified in the ratings and Joyful Winner is the pick of my two in the Mile,' he said.

Moore also runs Sunny Sing in the Sprint, Viva Macau in the Vase and Art Trader in the Cup.

'If I could pick up a prize-money cheque with them I would be a very happy camper,' Moore summed up.

Finally, CXHK Mile runner Down Town produced the quickest hit-out time of Monday morning in a 400m Riverside Gallop in 21.8 seconds, according to Turf Timers.

The dashing grey felled a 1600m track record dating back 24 years at his last start in October and in this piece of work he cruised past a stable companion to trainer Dennis Yip?s satisfaction.

'He?s a fresh horse, a fit horse and he?s in great form,' Yip said.