Racing: Dylan Thomas and Excellent Art are continuing to please Aidan O'Brien ahead of their respective races in Hong Kong on Sunday.
Both horses were out again on the all weather track at Sha Tin on Thursday morning to be put through their paces.
Dylan Thomas is bidding to claim his fifth Group One victory of the year in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong Vase, in what will be his final outing before retiring to stud.
After failing to get to grips with the soft going on his last outing in the Breeders' Cup Turf, O'Brien has sounded an optimistic note with conditions more suitable at Sha Tin.
"He's in good shape and did some good work this morning," O'Brien said.
"If the going is good it will suit him. He's quicker over the firmer ground, he prefers it. Last time out he struggled over the soft ground at Monmouth Park."
And despite a gruelling year that has seen Dylan Thomas travel all over the globe to compete in nine contests, O'Brien is confident he has enough left in the tank from what he has seen this week.
"Obviously he's had a very long hard season and he had a very messy preparation the last time," he said.
"But he seems in good form, he's worked well in the build up. He's got two more days to canter and hopefully it'll stay that way.
"He's been racing in Group One races nearly once a month but he has plenty of class. He's been away from home a long time so hopefully we'll have him fit enough.
"I've been happy with the preparation, it's a good set-up and excellent system here."
Excellent Art, who goes in the Mile, takes on a field that contains Godolphin's Creachadoir, Darjina and Peter Chapple-Hyam's Al Qasi.
After capturing the St James' Palace Stakes at Ascot in June, the colt has lost out twice to Ramonti in the Sussex Stakes and the Queen Elizabeth II.
O'Brien is now hoping for a change of luck after watching the colt also take second at the Breeders' Cup, and hopes to see Johnny Murtagh, who will also ride Dylan Thomas, celebrating success.
"He's in good form," O'Brien said.
"Obviously he's had a long hard season also, but he seems to be in good form.
"He's been unlucky in his last three races so we're hoping."
O'Brien was a happy man after the duo were handed decent draws for their respective races.
Dylan Thomas will start from stall number seven, while Excellent Art will break from five.
He said: "I'm happy with both draws, it gives us a chance."