Racing: El Segundo takes first trip north

SYDNEY - Caulfield trainer Colin Little will be out to disprove the common saying that you can't teach an old dog new tricks with El Segundo at Rosehill on Saturday.

Little has the Cox Plate-winning 8-year-old set to have his first start racing clockwise in the George Ryder Stakes (1500m).

El Segundo had his first gallop in Sydney on Tuesday morning ahead of his New South Wales debut and Little said the multiple group one winner needed the experience.

"He was on the incorrect leg but it was the first time ever he's worked in Sydney," Little said.

"I'm sure the horse is good, but whether he gets around this way of going is yet to be seen.

"He's an 8-year-old now and he's never been anywhere. He's been in his comfort zone at Caulfield."

A top two finish in Saturday's weight-for-age feature would push El Segundo's prizemoney earnings past A$4 million.

El Segundo finished 15th in the Newmarket Handicap (1200m) first-up last month.

The race was run just before the major storm forced the rest of the meeting to be postponed for a week.

Little said the Newmarket was a "bizarre" race and he was able to take little from it.

"I'm sure the horse is good, though, he came out of the Newmarket like he hadn't had a run."

The trainer also said the gelding had not lost his zest for racing.

"He's 8 but he doesn't act like an 8-year-old," he said.

"He hasn't had a lot of racing, and he doesn't act like an old horse."

El Segundo will face a strong field in the George Ryder, including the Chris Waller pair of Danleigh and Triple Honour as well as the Con Karakatsanis-trained Stradbroke winner Black Piranha.

He has drawn barrier four in the field of 14.

The 2007 Cox Plate winner will be ridden for the first time by Craig Williams.

"Craig actually rode his mother [Palos Verdes]. He wasn't quite as high profile as he is now," Little said.

Williams partnered Palos Verdes seven times for three wins and placings in the Matriarch Stakes and Bagot Handicap.

- AAP