*****Quietly confident ... Katsuhiko Sumii (File photo) (Credit: , Getty Images)
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Trainer confident of Japanese success at Flemington
The trainer of Japanese horses Pop Rock and Delta Blues says he is confident of bold showings in Tuesday's Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

Both gallopers completed their preparations on Monday for the $5 million race with work-outs that left trainer Katsuhiko Sumii in high spirits.

Along with Europe's champion stayer Yeats and English horse Geordieland, the Japanese pair had the finishing touches applied to Australian campaigns that have already been faultless and profitable.

Delta Blues finished third in the Caulfield Cup, the traditional lead-up to Australia's greatest race.

His stablemate was just behind him in sixth place after having no luck and failing to handle the tricky Caulfield track.

Sumii said he was hopeful Pop Rock and his Australian jockey Damien Oliver will have no such problems around the bigger Flemington track on Tuesday.

And the trainer was also certain that Delta Blues would run the 3,200 metres of the Melbourne Cup better than most of his rivals.

"Delta Blues is very strong, a champion," Sumii said through an interpreter. "But Pop Rock is reaching his peak."

Sumii admitted a slight concern that Delta Blues rider Yasunari Iwata would be having his first ride in Australia.

"It is a small worry," he said.

"But Iwata is one of the best jockeys in Japan and we are sure he will ride a good race."

As Pop Rock and Delta Blues went through their paces, Irish jockey Kieren Fallon gave Yeats his final piece of work, later declaring the horse to be fit and ready.

"He's as good as he could be," Fallon said.

"He felt lovely out there today, very relaxed, very happy."

Yeats blessing
Yeats, the second favourite for the Melbourne Cup, concluded his big-race preparations with a blessing from a Catholic priest, who also provided the same service for Fallon.

Also on the training track was the former French-trained Cup runner Geordieland, who is now prepared in England by Jamie Osborne.

Geordieland has had a trouble-free month in Melbourne preparing for the race and finished off his training on Monday with a long trot and canter.

Osborne said the figures supported his horse's chances, particularly when he is compared to Yeats.

In the Goodwood Cup last August, Geordieland finished five lengths behind Yeats, but Osborne believes his horse has improved considerably and he also has a three-kilogram weight advantage in the handicap.

He is to be ridden on Tuesday by Frankie Dettori, who arrived in Melbourne on Monday fresh from Kentucky where he became the first European rider to ride a double at the Breeders' Cup meeting.

Osborne had raised concerns over Dettori's ability to make the 54kg that Geordieland has to carry in the Melbourne Cup.

But after returning from a run, Dettori declared himself on target to make the prescribed weight.

Also on the track on Monday was the Luca Cumani-trained Glistening, an 80-1 chance in Tuesday's race.

Glistening took his time settling into his routine in Australia, but has improved considerably over the past 10 days and Cumani is more than hopeful about his chances, despite a horror barrier.

The international contingent is completed by the English runner Land 'N Stars, who is at 150-1 due largely to his poor effort when last in the Caulfield Cup.