Dylan Thomas takes a spin at Sha Tin

Last updated: 12/3/07 3:12 PM

Dylan Thomas still looks a picture of robust health despite his busy season

(Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club)

At Sha Tin on Monday, Europe's Cartier Horse of the Year DYLAN THOMAS

(Ire) (Danehill) put in a strong canter on the all-weather track in

advance of his career finale in Sunday's Hong Kong Vase (HK-G1). The

world's highest-rated horse still in training looked in powerful form as

he strode beneath regular work rider Pat Lillis.

Trainer Aidan O'Brien's traveling head lad, Pat Keating, later

confirmed the well-being of Dylan Thomas, who will head off to stud

after the Vase.

"He's thriving in this good weather and he seems in good order,"

Keating said. "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."

Dylan Thomas was rerouted to the Vase after a projected tilt at the

November 25 Japan Cup (Jpn-G1) was called off. The four-year-old bay was

not cleared to participate in Tokyo because of a positive test for

equine viral arteritis (EVA), which his connections believe resulted

from a vaccination.

Successful in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1) two starts back,

Dylan Thomas floundered on the rain-soaked bog in the October 27 Breeders'

Cup Turf (G1) and wound up a disappointing fifth as the 4-5 favorite at

Monmouth Park.

"This track will suit him much better than Monmouth Park, where he was

never traveling on the very soft ground," Keating said. "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 runner, Hong Kong Mile (HK-G1) contender EXCELLENT ART (GB)

(Pivotal), also looked well as he put in a regulation canter on the all-weather

under his work rider Keith Dalton.

Excellent Art, who scored his signature victory in the St James's Palace S.

(Eng-G1) at Royal Ascot, was runner-up last time out in the Breeders' Cup Mile

(G1).

O'Brien will be at Sha Tin on Wednesday morning to oversee his runners' final

preparation.

Several other major chances for Sunday's Hong Kong International Races were

on show on Monday morning.

Australian sensation Miss Andretti has blazed her way to five course records

(Photo courtesy of Hong Kong Jockey Club)

Top Hong Kong Sprint (HK-G1) threat MISS ANDRETTI (Ihtiram), last week voted

Australia's Horse of the Year, pleased trainer 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," Hall of Famer Freedman

enthused. "She's relaxed, her weight is good, and she's raring to go. 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."

Miss Andretti holds a commanding lead in the Global Sprint Challenge

standings. The six-year-old captured the first three legs of the series

-- the Lightning S. (Aus-G1), Australia S. (Aus-G1) and King's Stand S.

(Eng-G2) -- and would make it four with a victory in Hong Kong. She is

coming off a score in The Age Classic (Aus-G1) at Flemington on November

10.

VIVA PATACA (Marju), assured to start favorite for the Hong Kong Cup (HK-G1),

has "had a preparation that's gone exactly according to plan," according to

horseman John Moore.

"He's definitely the one to beat," Moore continued. "He's going better now

than when he won the Cup Trial (HK-G2) the other day (on November 11). And he's

definitely better now than when we saw him win those two Group 1 races (Queen

Elizabeth II Cup and Champions and Chater Cup) towards the end of last season.

"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 (Lear Fan), winner of the November 11

Mile Trial (HK-G2), completed his last serious drill over six furlongs on

the turf, completing the final two furlongs in :22.60, much to the satisfaction

of trainer Andreas Schutz.

"His preparation has gone very well and he pulled up nicely after that piece

of work," Schutz said. "Olivier Doleuze had a nice hold of him and he was very

positive when he pulled up.

"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."

Good Ba Ba is likely to be foremost in Hong Kong bettors' thoughts for the

Mile, but Moore urged race fans not to discount JOYFUL WINNER (El Moxie).

"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," Moore revealed. "I think I've done that -- I believe he is now

100 per cent fit now.

"This year I have made a big effort to help him along after his trip in June

to Japan (where he finished ninth in the Yasuda Kinen [Jpn-G1]), 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

(HK-G1) hero, ABLE ONE (Cape Cross [Ire]), 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 (Sri Pekan) in the Sprint, VIVA MACAU (Sendawar)

in the Vase and ART TRADER (Arch) in the Cup.

"If I could pick up a prize-money check with them I would be a very happy

camper," Moore summed up.

Finally, Mile runner DOWN TOWN (Scenic [Ire]) produced the quickest hit-out

time of Monday morning, blitzing a quarter-mile on the Riverside gallop in

:21.80, according to Turf Timers.

The dashing gray felled a 1600-meter (about one mile) track record dating

back 24 years at his last start in the October 21 Sha Tin Trophy H. (HK-G3). 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.

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