MELBOURNE - Trainer Pat Carey has confirmed Cannonball will make his stable debut at Caulfield on Saturday but is keeping expectations in check with the former accomplished American sprinter.
The 6-year-old resumes in the listed Doveton Stakes (1200m) but Carey is cool about his chances after the gelding failed towin in five runs with Gai Waterhouse.
"I have put no expectation, no major pressure, on the horse," Carey told Radio Sport 927.
"We're just going to run him and have a look at where he is at.
"Obviously, he is widely travelled and he's probably been through the mill a bit so we're just going to find our way with him."
Carey said that Cannonball, a three-time stakeswinner, had been in his stable nine weeks and had been working well without standing out.
"He hasn't shown me that he's got any special qualities but we haven't had to teach him a lot by the same token," Carey said.
The winner of four of his 26 starts and with earnings just shy of A$850,000, Cannonball came to Australia a year ago with much fanfare on the back of some world-class performances, notably a second to Art Connoisseur in the Golden Jubilee Stakes (1207m) and third to California Flag in the Breeder's Cup Sprint on Turf (1308m).
Trained by Wesley Ward, Cannonball jarred up at his Australian debut when ninth to Nicconi in the Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington in January before being transferred to Waterhouse, for whom his only placing in five runs was a second to Neeson in the group three Tramway Handicap (1400m).
His Kentucky owner Ken Ramsey sent him to Carey after he finished second last in the Epsom Handicap in October.
Carey said he would have preferred an easier first-up assignment for Cannonball than Saturday's sprint, which has attracted 15 entries headed by First Command, who is topweight with 59kg, and Royal Ida (58.5kg). Cannonball, who has a rating of 101, has 57kg.
"You look through his form and it is a bit patchy so we are just going to take our time with him," Carey said.
"I would have liked to have kicked him off in a slightly lesser handicap which would have been more consistent with where his form is probably at."
