Gai Waterhouse watched in growing anticipation early yesterday as her stable stars impressed with a series of brilliant gallops at Royal Randwick trackwork.

And to lift the mood even further, the queen of the turf also announced she had taken over as trainer of American sprinter Cannonball.

Waterhouse has endured a quiet start to the New Year, leading in only two winners from the past eight city meetings.

But she seems set to kick-start her Sydney premiership defence and launch her autumn carnival assault when big-race action returns to Randwick on Saturday.

Waterhouse's team invariably rises to the challenge on their home track and she was yesterday confidently talking up her chances in the six stakes races at the meeting, most particularly with glamour three-year-olds Manhattan Rain and More Joyous.

Manhattan Rain resumes in the Group Two $150,000 Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) and Waterhouse won't hear of the colt being beaten.

Race jockey Blake Shinn rode Manhattan Rain in his workout with stablemate Montana Flyer over 800m in 49.1sec, further evidence Waterhouse has the colt more forward in condition for his comeback race."Manhattan Rain's gallop, which was very wide out on the course proper, was nothing short of outstanding," Waterhouse declared.

"He will bolt in on Saturday - he'll win by a couple of lengths.

"He's a lot sharper going into this race than he has been when he's resumed previously. If he wins the Royal Sovereign as easily as I expect he will and then stays as sharp as he is, then I might run him in the Newmarket Handicap rather than the Australian Guineas.

"But if he shows me that he wants further, then I'll have no hesitation going to the Australian Guineas.

"He's very versatile so we can go either way."

Waterhouse said she was "flattered" American trainer Wesley Ward had transferred the much-travelled Cannonball into her care and she will train the talented sprinter for the Newmarket, run at Flemington on March 6.

Cannonball, who ran unplaced behind Nicconi in the Lightning Stakes at his Australian debut last month, arrives at Waterhouse's Randwick stables today as she wants to oversee his Newmarket preparation.Owner John Singleton's superstar More Joyous resumes in the Group Two $150,000 Light Fingers Stakes and Waterhouse is confident about the filly's first-up chances despite a seemingly indifferent effort in a recent barrier trial when third to stablemates Dreamscape and Rock Kingdom. "More Joyous isn't as forward as Manhattan Rain but she will certainly be ready to win on Saturday," Waterhouse declared.

"She was having her first barrier trial when Dreamscape and Rock Kingdom were having their second and I thought she competed very well. She's a lean filly who doesn't need as much work to get into racing trim. She's such an exciting filly."

Waterhouse was also enthusiastic about the chances of her juveniles Zutara (Widden Stakes) and Manahara (Canonbury Stakes), and proven sprinters Montana Flyer (Breeders Classic) and Dreamscape (Southern Cross Stakes).