KEY POINTS:
Colin Little declared El Segundo could outsprint any horse in Australia after beating Haradasun in a stirring battle to win the Group Two Dato Tan Chin Nam Stakes at Moonee Valley yesterday.
Both horses hit the line together after making their runs from the 600m when eight lengths off a hot pace set by Activation in the 1600m feature.
El Segundo headed Haradasun rounding the home turn but his younger rival, ridden by Darren Beadman, fought back to regain the lead halfway up the straight. When jockey Luke Nolen asked El Segundo for a final effort he lifted on the line and won by a nose.
Cinque Cento chased Activation all the way and finished a brave third a length away.
Little said El Segundo was on target to make amends for last year's photo-finish second to Fields Of Omagh in the Cox Plate at Moonee Valley on October 27.
The plan yesterday was for Nolen to ride El Segundo closer to the pace and Little was happy to track Haradasun.
"He [El Segundo] has a great turn of foot and he can outsprint any horse in the land."
Haradasun, valued at A$45 million, is yet to win a race this spring after finishing second to Apache Cat in the Bletchingly Stakes and second to Miss Finland in the Memsie Stakes.
Little said El Segundo was closing in on his peak after a slow start to the spring.
"This is a nice race but it is only a stepping-stone to the Cox Plate," said Little who regards Haradasun and Miss Finland as the benchmarks for the prestigious weight-for-age feature. Marasco was also in the mix.
Miss Finland remains the Cox Plate favourite at A$3.80 but El Segundo firmed from A$4.40 to A$4.20 with Michael Eskander's betting agency Betstar.
Haradasun tightened from A$8 to A$5 and is the fourth favourite behind Marasco at A$4.40.
Fourth-placed Efficient is favorite for the Caulfield Cup, in from A$15 to A$9.
- AAP
