It seems Australia brings out the best in everyone whether they be human or even if they are of the equine variety.

That’s the word from the Americain camp anyway as he is reportedly thriving at his Werribee Equine Centre base.

It’s fair to say he wasn’t in the best of form before boarding that flight to Sydney, in fact he finished 10th of 13 in his last start across 3000m at Deauville.

It’s a far cry from the form he brought into last year’s Melbourne Cup campaign where he had won three in a row across 2900m, 3000m and 3000m.

Even then though connections said there was a marked improvement in the horse once he arrived in Australia, something they desperately needed this time around.

Rob Roulsten is part of the team looking after Americain and he says the change has been quite incredible.

“When he comes to Australia he seems to go to another level again,” he said.

“He looks better, he’s working better…he’s just a horse that when he gets to our shores seems to improved.”

Roulsten knows what it’s like to see the horse turn around as well, he was part of the group that picked up Americain after he raced in America with not a lot of success.

“It’s been quite amazing really…we bought him when he was out of form and luckily he regained his best form after we bought him,” he said.

“His form in France before he went to America was very good, that’s why we sent him back.”

Americain will be following a different path in the lead up to his Melbourne Cup defence this year, bypassing the Geelong Cup in favour of either the Cox Plate or the more favoured Moonee Valley Cup.

“There’s a preference for the Moonee Valley Cup at this stage but it still hasn’t been decided,” Roulsten said.

He’s yet to be really wound up during track work so far but Roulsten says he’s been steadily building and the progress has been good.

“He worked with a lead horse (yesterday morning), they worked over a mile and a quarter,” he said.

“He worked strongly all the way, improved the last 400m with his head on his chest.”