Round two: Australia

CARL Fogarty is expecting a smoother ride in Sunday's second round of the World Superbike championship -- literally.

The bumpiness of the Kyalami circuit for the first round in South Africa took Fogarty by surprise and added to the problems that his injured shoulder was posing at three parts of the track in particular.

Three weeks on and the damaged joint is still not properly healed.

But Fogarty does not predict the Phillip Island circuit, purpose built for bike racing in 1965, to pose as many problems.

He said today: "I've looked at the track in Australia.

"It's a smoother circuit and there's really only one point where there is a change of direction.

"But I'm probably not even going to bother seeing the doctors here.

"There is still some fluid in the joint, which to me looks like a blood clot on the scans. When that goes, with a bit of rest, it'll be all right.

"It won't be spot on for Australia, though, and it is a worry.

"It's about 80 per cent right, whereas it was 65 per cent right in South Africa.

"I'd know about it though if I was to try and lift any weights. But there's nothing I can do about it, I've just got to accept it and get on with it.

"I will race on Sunday and go and race in Japan. "If it's still a big problem then we'll have to look at it again and consider having an injection in there, which will mess me up later in life I've been told," said the fired-up world champ.

Fogarty was third in the first race in South Africa but crashed out having caught the leading the pack in the second.

That leaves him off the early pace set by Colin Edwards and Noriyuki Haga -- but his recent record in Australia is good.

In the last three years he has won one race, been second three times along with one third and a fourth place.

Last year's races were a Ducati parade, with former team-mate Troy Corser taking both victories in front of Foggy.

The victory margin in the second race was just one thousandth of a second and Fogarty remains convinced that he won the race.

But he does not expect Corser to be as big a threat this year on his Aprilia, despite achieving pole position at Kyalami.

Foggy added: "I've won there before and I still think I won last year.

"I go all right there. It's not my favourite but it's not my least favourite -- it's probably somewhere in the middle.

"We were miles in front of the others last year so, hopefully, I can go out there and do the same again.

"Troy will go fast for a lap or two but I don't expect him to be there at the end of the race.

"It was the same when he was on the Ducati more times than not.

"All riders are different but he's not as good as me, that's why he's not riding for Ducati any more.

"I expected him to get pole a lot this year because Dunlop do a tyre for qualifying, which Michelin don't.

"From what I can gather from the guys who have been on this tyre say it's absolutely incredible. But it's finished after one lap.

"At the end of the day we win races and world titles -- that's what it's all about." Lap record: Troy Corser 1min 33.019 secs (1999)

Top speed: Colin Edwards 297.5kmh (1999)

Foggy's Phillip Island record:

1999: 2nd and 2nd (Ducati)

1998: Ist and 3rd (Ducati)

1997: 2nd and 4th (Ducati)

1996: 4th and 6th (Honda)

1995: 4th and 2nd (Ducati)

1994: 1st and 2nd (Ducati)

1993: No race

1992: 7th and retired (Kawasaki)