The calm confidence of trainer John O’Shea and the equally cool presence of the multiple Group One winner Sea Siren at Sha Tin on race eve has convinced international betting agencies to install the mare as favourite for Sunday’s Hong Kong Sprint.

“Everything has gone perfectly, I’m well, she’s well,” O’Shea said.

“Everything is just perfect.”

As much as horses bred in Australia have performed with distinction in the shortest of the four international races on a program billed as the Turf World Championships, it is 11 years since an Australian-trained runner saluted at the meeting.

Among those who have tried, and failed, to repeat Falvelon’s sprint victories of 2000 and 2001, have been horses of the calibre of the international star Miss Andretti.

But O’Shea isn’t bothering with any history or any doubt.

“All I know is what I see – and that seems pretty good,” he said.

His opinion is reflected in international markets which have Sea Siren favourite at a best price of $ 4.

Second pick is last year’s winner Lucky Nine at $ 5.50 with another local, Time After Time next at $ 6.

Victory for Sea Siren in the International Sprint would give her a haul of four Group One races this year and would give O’Shea immense satisfaction.

“You come to these meetings with a lot of hope,” he said.

“We think we have the right horse, but so do a lot of others.

“You can only go on what you see and what you know, and she looks right to me.”

The picture was equally bright for Australia’s second runner on the program, Alcopop who runs in the Hong Kong Cup (2000m).

While his trainer Jake Stephens didn’t have quite the same calmness as O’Shea as he watched Alcopop breeze around the all-weather track on Saturday, he is confident he’s sending a fit and well horse to the races.

“Whether that is enough to be up there with these very good horses remains to be seen,” Stephens said.

“But he’s in really good order, better than when he was favourite for the Melbourne Cup a few years ago.”

Alcopop firmed from $ 13 to $ 8.50 following the scratching of the early favourite Cirrus Des Aigles.

On official ratings the South Australian is the third best horse in the race, but the statistics don’t take into account such variables as the home ground advantage held by a strong local contingent headed by last year’s winner California Memory who is the new favourite at $ 5 ahead of French Derby winner Saonois and another French runner, Giofra.

Australian quick Mitchell Johnson used sheer pace and swing to terrorise South Africa four years ago.

But if Johnson earns a long-awaited recall for the third Test at the WACA Ground, starting Friday, he will attempt to inflict a similar result by using his new-found smarts rather than his trademark unpredictability.

Pace trio Johnson, Josh Hazlewood and John Hastings were added to Australia’s 14-man squad after the gruelling drawn Adelaide Test, in which emerging quick James Pattinson broke down with a summer-ending side strain and Peter Siddle and Ben Hilfenhaus bowled themselves into the ground.

Left-armer Mitchell Starc is the frontrunner to replace Pattinson, but Johnson is also a good chance to land a spot in the XI due to his excellent record at the WACA.

In 2008, Johnson snared career-best figures of 8-61 to help skittle South Africa for 281, with only a world-record fourth-innings performance helping the tourists to a famous win.

Then two years later, Johnson terrorised England on the way to match figures of 9-82 in a big Ashes win.

Johnson’s Test career was brought to a sudden halt last November when he succumbed to a serious toe injury.

The 31-year-old was badly out of form at the time, and credits the injury for saving his career.

And after working with his mentor – Australian bowling great Dennis Lillee – over the past year, Johnson feels he has what it takes to once again be a destructive force at Test level – albeit in a different way.

“I had a good chat with him just about how he came back from his injury,” Johnson said of Lillee, who recovered from a serious back problem to carve out a famous Test career.

“He was bowling very quick before his injury, and then he came back and became a smarter bowler.

“That’s something I’ve worked on.”

Johnson revealed he was out getting takeaway when national selector John Inverarity gave him a call to tell him of his Test recall.

Australia coach Mickey Arthur said he had been impressed by Johnson’s progression since making his return from a toe injury.

“I thought Mitchell was outstanding for us in the one-day series in Pakistan,” Arthur said.

“He bowled superbly (and was) arguably one of our best bowlers there.”

Young paceman Mitchell Starc says he’s nevertheless in the dark about whether he’ll perform the second cricket Test towards South Africa commencing on Thursday but he’s prepared to fire if selected.

Left-armer Starc is favoured to substitute Ben Hilfenhaus in the Australian assault for the Adelaide Oval Check, including to his 4 Test caps right after the Tasmanian struggled to make an effect in the drawn 1st Check at the Gabba.

Most of Starc’s cricket of late has been with the white ball at the Champions League and Globe Twenty20 tournaments, and his last Test was against the West Indies back in April.

The 22-year-old has struggled in patches during his two Sheffield Shield matches this season for NSW, but he bounced back in the second towards Victoria final week and finished with 4 wickets on a batsman’s deck at the SCG.

Similarly tough bowling conditions are anticipated for the 1st couple of days in Adelaide.

“Not a clue (if I am playing),” said Starc prior to education with the Australian squad at the Adelaide Oval on Tuesday.

“I’ll just maintain carrying out what I am carrying out, I reckon.

“If I’m picked, I’m prepared to go and ready to do my occupation for the staff … I’m raring to go and place on that baggy green again.”

Hilfenhaus struggled for consistency and potency in the course of the 1st Check at the Gabba, and two tail-end scalps gave him figures of 2-73 for the 1st innings.

Though nevertheless green at worldwide degree, Starc’s left-arm swing could give Australia an critical point of big difference in Adelaide.

Starc is confident he’s adjusted from T20 cricket and prepared to make a return to Check degree.

“There’s a lot much more time spent trying to work a batsman out and program him out,” he mentioned.

“Possibilities aren’t going to come each ball and you have genuinely got to consider them when you can.

“I’ve discovered the final couple of weeks in Shield cricket, (I’ve been) bowling much more overs and acquiring back into the rhythm and obtaining that consistency, instead than making an attempt to bowl a slower ball, then a bouncer, then a yorker.”

Immediately after regaining self-confidence in his bowling action, paceman Mitchell Johnson says he’s ready to make an impact for Australia if he receives a phone-up for the second Test against South Africa in Adelaide, starting next Thursday.

Johnson hasn’t featured for the Test team given that suffering a significant toe injury towards South Africa in November last yr.

But immediately after generating a strong commence to the Sheffield Shield season with Western Australia and functioning with mentor Dennis Lillee in current months, the 31-yr-outdated feels he’s prepared to as soon as again make a splash on the worldwide arena.

Despite the fact that James Pattinson impressed in Australia’s draw towards South Africa earlier this week, fellow pacemen Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle didn’t make a significant impact, while spinner Nathan Lyon (4 wickets) was trustworthy with out currently being overly unsafe.

The Test squad for Adelaide will be announced on Friday, and Johnson is an outside chance of earning a phone-up.

“If an opportunity came up, I definitely sense like I am prepared,” Johnson explained after snaring match figures of five-104 in Western Australia’s 110-run Shield win more than South Australia.

“I think this is the very best I’ve bowled in most likely two many years.

“I actually feel like I’m in control of what I’m performing. I know why I am bowling properly, I know why I’m batting properly.

“For me to feel like that is a bonus.

“That’s what you want to accomplish at international degree – you want to be able to know what you are performing.

“It is all coming collectively for me. If I get that possibility, yeah I’m absolutely ready for it.

“But I’m just pleased to maintain playing and maintain performing what I need to have to do here (for WA) and maintain carrying out it for lengthy intervals.”

Rookie Matthew Wade has vowed to carry on the Australian cricket tradition of combative and lippy wicketkeepers undertaking all they can to win.

Following in the footsteps of glovemen like Wally Grout, Rod Marsh and Ian Healy, Wade says he’ll consider the battle up to opponents with his perform and with his speak.

Regardless of being just 24, the feisty Victorian took small time to rip into opposing batsmen in his debut Test and 1-day series this year.

For that there is no apologies, and he’ll carry on on in the same vein towards the world No.1-ranked South Africans when their 3-Test series starts on Friday at the Gabba.

“I’ll do whatever it requires to win so which is how I want to be remembered when I finish,” stated Wade, who scored a essential 106 in his last Test towards the West Indies to save Australia and retain his place ahead of Brad Haddin.

“To me it really is not about your typical and what you have accomplished stats-smart. To me it is about winning games for Australia.

“Stats don’t inform you when you’ve created your runs and in what predicament.

“I adore the contest. That’s what cricket is all about. A bloke is bowling 150km/h at you and making an attempt to get you out and you are making an attempt to counter that.”

Wade will put on a protective guard on thumb in his first Test on home soil following copping a knock in final week’s Sheffield Shield game at the MCG.

He’s relishing the chance to keep on the quick and bouncy Gabba pitch exactly where keepers and the slips cordon are generally amid the action.

Whilst Wade is pumped about a Brisbane Check, he’s just as thrilled about what Victorian teammate James Pattinson can make at the Gabba.

Young speedster Pattinson is in leading form right after ripping via Queensland’s batting for 6-32 in a fearsome Shield spell at the Gabba last month, which was followed up by 4-42 towards Western Australia at the MCG final week.

“He bowled speedy at the G and he bowled quick right here,” Wade stated.

“As soon as he will get it correct he can bowl high-140s.

“I hope he has a quite huge influence but he’s got that capability to go by way of any team.”

English trainer Ed Dunlop was not specific of what he was acquiring into when he came to Australia with Red Cadeaux for final year’s Melbourne Cup.

But he figured out quickly and has returned with a larger, stronger and much better horse.

Red Cadeaux came within a number of millimetres of winning the race, going down to Dunaden in the closest finish in its history.

Over the past twelve months Dunlop and the horse have put what they learned at Flemington a year ago to good use and have come to Melbourne confident they’ve identified the missing millimetres, and a good deal far more.

“Coming here final yr was an afterthought,” Dunlop explained.

“We had to put him in races that may well not have been the finest ones for him so he could qualify.

“It was not the planning I’d have selected, but we almost pulled it off.”

This year Red Cadeaux has been fully-qualified from the time he was entered for the Cup and Dunlop has had the luxury of currently being able to set the horse specifically for the race.

“Simply because he was in the race I was in a position to give him a mid-season break so we could come here with a fresh horse,” Dunlop mentioned.

“As a end result we have a much better horse this time than we did final time.”

As well as the improvement he has been in a position to train into Red Cadeaux, Dunlop has the weights and measures on his side.

Red Cadeaux meets last year’s winner Dunaden 2.5kg much better for his narrow defeat in 2011, a figure which represents a turnaround of more than a length.

Another benefit to the English galloper is the encounter obtained by jockey Michael Rodd from his one-and-only ride on the horse.

“Michael blamed himself for last year,” Dunlop explained.

“The horse has a tendency to lay in, Michael will know better this time.”

On the other side of the Cup equation, Dunlop acknowledges this year’s Cup resembles last year’s, but it is a much better race.

“It really is a quite tight-knit, higher-class race this yr,” he mentioned.

“Dunaden and Americain are there yet again, but the other Europeans are very robust.

“It should be a European victory and if it really is not us, I assume Mount Athos stands out.

“He been progressing via the ranks … he’s the horse this time

“But we’ve received a great one … a better one than last time.”

Talented sprinter Psychological will get the chance to verify he is a Group A single performer when he contests the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on Friday night.

Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley group is chasing its 2nd straight win in the race following Sepoy’s victory in the 1200m function final year.

Mental is beginning his last Australian campaign right after which he will join six other Darley horses to be examined overseas underneath Sheikh Mohammed’s Godolphin banner.

“He’s a really talented sprinter and he’s dynamite fresh,” Darley’s Melbourne stable foreman Paul Snowden explained.

“We want to have him pretty spot-on initial-up.

“There is not a lot of possibilities for sprinters. There’s this race and maybe the Patinack Farm Classic if he runs nicely, so you have got to be appropriate on your mark and hopefully get the runs on the board early.”

Psychological will be making his first look at Group One level obtaining missed a begin in the Stradbroke Handicap at the finish of his earlier campaign.

The then 3-year-old was 3rd emergency for the Stradbroke but did not acquire a run, rather winning a Listed race on the identical day.

“I just want to see him break via and hopefully get that Group 1 win,” Snowden stated.

“He’s got a quite very good record and does not have to increase considerably to compete against that degree.”

Steady jockey Kerrin McEvoy partnered the son of Lonhro in a work out at Moonee Valley final week and was confident the 4-yr-old would handle the circuit.

“It’s a good line-up but we think he’s a horse that will deal with Moonee Valley,” McEvoy stated.

“He’ll most likely be midfield somewhere in the run and have to come property in some rather speedy fractions. But it looks like there could be some good tempo in the race.”

Star Queensland sprinter Buffering is the dominant favourite to break by way of for his initial Group A single good results.

“Buffering is the benchmark for anything at the minute,” Snowden explained.

“His two wins this time in have been excellent. We just need a bit of luck on the night.”

Australia will full their final preparations for Saturday’s one particular-off Test towards New Zealand with a session below lights at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Friday night.

Temperatures have reached the 30s this week in Townsville, but Kangaroos coach Tim Sheens believes the circumstances have not been as clammy in the evening and won’t have too significantly have an effect on on how the game is played.

“We typically try and do the captain’s run about game time,” Sheens mentioned.

“We have worked difficult this week in the heat so we will use (Friday) to prepare as we would on game day.

“The last few nights when we’ve been out for dinner the conditions have been fairly good. It really is not as if we are taking part in at 10am so I am quite comfortable that we will manage it.”

There had been speculation this week that giant back-rower Tony Williams was struggling with a hamstring injury and could miss the game, with Brisbane’s Ben Te’o in line to make his global debut.

Even so, Sheens stated the Canterbury-bound star will perform.

“He has trained all week and the physios inform me he is fine and will be fit for the game,” he said.

Kangaroos skipper Cameron Smith mentioned Saturday’s clash is important ahead of next year’s World Cup in Europe, with only one particular Test taking place just before subsequent October’s tournament.

The hooker, who’ll be 30 when Australia face England in the opening game in Cardiff, laughed off claims the group are obtaining too old.

“I had a bit of a chuckle when I noticed about it due to the fact I have looked 40 for about 10 years,” Smith explained.

“There are usually going to people who question your capability or your age, but I sense very good and feel like I am a young man and the boys that are finding on a bit really feel young as well.

“As extended as Sheensy feels I am taking part in very good adequate football, and the other outdated boys are playing very good adequate football, he’ll be satisfied with that.”

Kiwi captain Benji Marshall expects halfback Kieran Foran to be provided a hostile welcome from the local supporters immediately after his controversial knock-on in the lead up to a attempt for Manly towards North Queensland in the NRL semi-finals.

“I believe Kieran was the only a single who was copping it when we did a few school visits this week,” Marshall stated.

“But he is a qualified, he offers with most items, and I hear there are a number of Kiwis turning up here as properly to support us.”

It was going to consider much more than a badly-bruised ankle to maintain champion jockey Jim Cassidy out of the reckoning for another Group 1 Epsom Handicap win at Randwick on Saturday.

Cassidy twisted his left ankle when he struck it coming out of the barriers in a race at Canterbury on Wednesday.

The 49-yr-outdated, who won the Epsom on Excellerator in 2002, declared he would be match for the showpiece meeting as he limped out of Canterbury and was accurate to his word when he rode in a barrier trial at Rosehill on Friday.

“I mentioned I’ll be correct and I will be there,” Cassidy told AAP.

“It is fairly black and sore but I’ll be right.”

Cassidy rides the John O’Shea-qualified Lightinthenite in the Epsom as effectively as the Chris Waller-educated Kelinni in the Group A single Metropolitan.

“They are each reside light-weight odds and in these large races you constantly want a bit of luck,” Cassidy explained.

Cassidy has currently been a important player in the Sydney spring with a Group Two win on Longport in the Tea Rose Stakes and two Group 3 victories on Tagus and Steps In Time.

And the Hall of Fame jockey, who remains as competitive as ever, is keen to make his mark in the course of Sydney’s greatest spring meeting.

“These are the days when you want to come out and fire up,” Cassidy said.

“That’s what it is all about.”

Gai Waterhouse is chasing a record-equalling seventh Epsom victory and Excess fat Al, a single of her a few representatives, has been the best supported runner because Wednesday’s barrier draw.

Fat Al has firmed from $ 5 into outright favourite at $ four.60 ahead of George Main Stakes winner Shoot Out ($ 5).

Tommy Berry chose to ride Unwanted fat Al over stablemates Wild And Proud and Kontiki Park.

“There was not a lot between them,” Berry stated.

“I think it’s going to be a very competitive race but this horse, Excess fat Al, just has the class edge on the other two I feel.”

Waterhouse’s runners all have the 52kg restrict which ruled out her No.1 steady rider Nash Rawiller.

Rawiller could spoil the party for Waterhouse as he partners the Chris Waller-skilled 2010 Doncaster winner Rangirangdoo.

“He’s coming off a quite creditable run the other day operating 2nd to Shoot Out who we meet (half a kilo) greater at the weights,” Rawiller explained.

“I won a Doncaster on him before, he loves the Randwick mile and it would be fitting for the horse if he could come out and win the Epsom on Saturday.

“His age and entire body is catching up with him but his will to win and compete is even now there and that is the most essential issue. Which is what makes him as good as he is.”

Glyn Schofield is rapt with Manawanui ahead of his belated spring return but the Group A single winner’s trainer is slightly much more guarded after a chequered begin to the campaign.

Manawanui is scheduled to resume in Saturday’s Group 3 Shorts (1200m) at Randwick immediately after his initial spring targets have been shelved when he went off his feed for a handful of days following an exhibition gallop a month ago.

Final year’s Golden Rose winner impressed Schofield in a barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Friday when 2nd to McClintock.

“He was super,” Schofield mentioned.

“He trialled actually well and felt great. He had a tiny blow afterwards but he’s on track. I’m very pleased with him.”

Trainer Ron Leemon was also pleased with the gelding’s trial but believes he could consider a run to truly hit his straps.

“Glyn is extremely content with him. I’m a little bit much more conservative than what he is,” Leemon explained.

“I thought he trialled very effectively. We wanted Glyn to get back and let him run property which he did.

“He received a little exhausted the final minor bit which we anticipated because he’s still fairly massive.

“He probably won’t be 100 per cent going into The Shorts.

“Just searching at him I still assume he will almost certainly want a run to top him off for his up coming one.”

Leemon mentioned Manawanui’s revised two-begin Sydney spring campaign – The Shorts and then the Premiere Stakes on October six – would be vital in deciding no matter whether last year’s Caulfield Guineas runner-up heads to Melbourne later on in the carnival.

“To me, he’s got to run truly properly in people two races to justify going to Melbourne,” Leemon stated.

“You are meeting the top finish of the horse world there. So I want to make confident he’s 100 per cent just before we go down there, and that he’s going to be competitive in what we choose out for him.”

Manawanui won the Golden Rose a yr ago ahead of his gallant 2nd to Helmet in the Caulfield Guineas.

He then won The Vase (2040m) at Moonee Valley ahead of finishing sixth as favourite in the Victoria Derby.

Manawanui’s autumn campaign was lower brief right after his 3rd run when he completed fifth as favourite in the Randwick Guineas.

Queensland sprinter Spirit Of Boom, a half head 2nd to We’re Gonna Rock in the Group 3 Bobbie Lewis Quality on September 8, will be among Manawanui’s opposition in the Shorts.