French trainer Mikel Delzangles has placed a tick of approval against his Caulfield Cup prospect Dunaden after being reunited with the horse at Werribee on Sunday.
With French hopes of adding the Caulfield feature to recently won Melbourne Cups boosted by the victory of Shahwardi on Saturday, Delzangles was already in an optimistic mood.
But the condition of the reigning Melbourne Cup champion delighted the trainer.
"He is in very good shape. He looks stronger since he left Europe and he worked nicely today," Delzangles said.
Dunaden went through his regular routine of walking for 1600m, cantering over the same distance and then picking up speed for another 1400m.
Delzangles said Dunaden would have a more serious gallop on Monday with race jockey Craig Williams in the saddle.
Dunaden is an $11 chance in the Caulfield Cup with Gai Waterhouse's English import Glencadam Gold heading the market at $3.60.
Spirits were also lifted in the Luca Cumani stable with Cox Plate contender Afsare showing steady improvement from a leg injury suffered last Tuesday.
Afsare walked and trotted on the track on Sunday, the stable's head travelling lad Charlie Henson reporting the horse to be "better every day".
"We're taking it one step at a time, but we're quite hopeful," Henson said.
Reports on Cumani's Caulfield Cup prospect My Quest For Peace continue to be positive with a piece of work expected from the horse on Tuesday.
The stable's second-string Caulfield Cup runner appears to be the biggest improver in the team.
Ibicenco had his Australian debut delayed from Saturday with hopes now set on him gaining a run in Saturday's Cup through attrition.
"He has sharpened up a lot from his first piece of work to his second on Saturday," Henson said.
"We've just got to hope for a run."
The Alain de Royer-Dupre stable confirmed Shahwardi would not back up in the Caulfield Cup and Americain would be their only runner.