Americain eyes win before Australia return

MELBOURNE, Aug 18 AAP - A solid final workout has the Americain camp confident the defending Melbourne Cup champion can make it back-to-back wins in the Prix Kergorlay at Deauville, France, on Sunday night (AEST).

The Australian-owned son of Dynaformer won the 3000-metre Group Two event at his final European start before coming to Australia last spring and champion French trainer Alain de Royer-Dupre is sticking with the winning formula.

Part-owner Colleen Bamford said connections were this week informed of how the seven-year-old had progressed since his win in the Listed Prix de Reux (2500m) on August 2 and all looked promising.

"We got an email yesterday with some photos and he had his last good gallop (on Wednesday morning) before the race on Sunday and he looked amazing," Bamford said on Thursday.

"We'd had a little bit of concern with him earlier in the year, he just didn't quite look right, but now he looks just like he did last year.

"He's really bloomed and we're expecting that he'll run really well on Sunday.

"He won the Prix Kergorlay last year before coming to Australia so we're hoping that he can do that again this year."

The Prix Kergorlay will be Americain's final start before embarking on another Australian trip, where he is entered for both the $2.5 million Caulfield Cup and $3 million Cox Plate.

Entries for the $6 million Melbourne Cup close on September 1.

Americain won't be the only Spring Racing Carnival contender in action at the Deauville meeting with a couple of other Cups contenders also a chance of running.

The Luca Cumani-trained Manighar, who was a luckless second to Americain 12 months ago, remains in the Prix Kergorlay but may stay in the UK for Saturday night's Lonsdale Cup at York.

Americain's fellow French-trained galloper Dunaden will run in the Prix Kergorlay and trainer Mikel Delzangles is eager to contest his first Melbourne Cup with the promising stayer.

Also amongst the entries are Caulfield Cup nominees Red Cadeaux and Allied Powers, with Fox Hunt and Kasbah Bliss possible Melbourne Cup entries if they run well.