Red Ocean lines up for his hat-trick

What's not to like about Red Ocean?

Five starts. Two wins. And he's hardly even hit full stride.

That's the brilliant thing about the youngster who just turned four on Sunday.

It's a real pity that both his wins were done in front of an empty grandstand - because he certainly looks like a horse who could bring a crowd to their feet.

Yes, Red Ocean's a good one to own and the Aramco Stable has certainly picked a neat number to add to its stable of champions.

Red Ocean attempts to make it three on the trot on Sunday - and you shouldn't go betting against it happening.

In preparation for that hat-trick happening in Race 7, trainer Shane Baertschiger deemed it necessary to send him out for a gallop yesterday morning.

As expected, Red Ocean finished full of running.

Ridden by Matthew Kellady, Red Ocean ran out 600m in 37.1sec. He gave Flak Jacket, his galloping companion, a headstart but was quickly on level terms with the old fella.

It was a good way to tie up loose ends - if there were any - and to keep Red Ocean's mind on the job ahead.

You see, such was the ease of that last win when he put the fancied Prodigal to the sword in that Novice race over 1,400m.

Indeed, it was one of those races where - if you had a ticket with his name nestled in your shirt pocket - you were assured of a win. Red Ocean was simply too good.

It's a Class 4 race over the mile which Baertschiger has picked for his galloper.

It's further than he's ever raced since arriving but on his breeding, he should handle the extra furlong.

Also impressive on the training track was Sound The Siren.

Ridden by apprentice jockey Hakim Kamaruddin - the season's leading rider - he clocked a swift 34.4sec for 600m.

He had stablemate Bad Boy Black - who is not entered for the meeting - for company.

Sound The Siren is getting long in the tooth but age has not diminished his memory.

He certainly remembers where the winning post is and he still knows that it's the most important spot on the track.

Last time out, on July 18, Sound The Siren was obliged to race wide without cover in a 1,600m slog on the Polytrack.

It never is good to have to cover extra ground but he stayed a handy third all the way until 200m from home.

That was when his rider, Wong Chin Chuen, asked him to raise his game.

Like an old cavalry horse, the seven-year-old didn't just hear the siren. He heard the bugles and it roused him into action.

We know the rest. He romped in by a length. Sound The Siren, who used to race as Augustus, takes on Class 3 rivals in the ninth race of the 11-card programme.

He must defy promotion to win this one. But it's not beyond him.

The last time the handicappers sent him up to Class 3, which was in April, he put in a super show. He charged home from near last to finish a head behind the winner, Spirit Of Big Bang. That race was also over the mile.