Looks Great Doesn't He. 

Trained by Colin Little and ridden by Damien Oliver, Poco Gusto hit the lead with a furlong remaining in the $22,500 Thirsty Camel Country Showcase 0 - 68 Handicap (1900m) and appeared to have the race comfortably in her keeping.

But the daughter of Hussonet had an unwillingness to pass the post first with only the frantic urgings of Oliver preventing defeat.

Poco Gusto ($3.20-$3.60) beat Next Shot ($10-$13) by the barest of margins with Musical Lad ($8-$9) finishing half a length from the winner.

“She was trying to pull up,” Oliver said with a hint of a smile.

“She hit the front and was trying to come back underneath me and then she didn’t want to pull up after the race.

“She couldn’t make up her mind.”

Little says retirement appears the only option for Poco Gusto who secured her biggest prizemoney cheque due to Wednesday’s victory.

“She obviously wants to be a mum this mare,” Little said.

“She has a bit of ability and starts off her program OK but seems to then taper off.

“You get a few mares like that who tend to lose interest and I think it’s probably the case with her and Ollie was not going to let her lie down.

“You get to August and September and you’ve got to make a decision whether to go on another year and pay more training fees and whether there is more upside in her or retire her.

“She just been bought with the thought of being a broodmare and its just a matter of whether we go on for another year and I don’t think it’s warranted.”

Boasting a record of three wins and eight placings from 22 starts, Poco Gusto has won in excess of $76,000 in prizemoney.

She raced twice in stakes company, finishing second last in the Group 2 Wakeful Stakes (2000m) and then tenth five days later in the Group 1 VRC Oaks (2500m) behind Samantha Miss.

By Carl Di Iorio

The last start Sale maiden winner had to be re-shod by the farrier prior to leaving the mounting yard to compete in the $15,000 Centrebet.com GET ON to Get Out 0 - 62 Handicap (1900m).

In the race itself, the Colin Little-trained galloper settled in third position for jockey Jason Benbow and was poised to pounce on the leaders.

However Thirteen Skins lost his position approaching the home turn as Benbow struggled to gain clear running.

Hooked off heels in the early portion of the straight, Thirteen Skins forced his way through the field before outstaying his rivals to register a win full of merit.

Thirteen Skins ($3.50 fav) narrowly defeated Dear Prudence ($8.50) with Bedouin Express ($11) a further length adrift in third.

The result means Thirteen Skins is unbeaten in all races beyond a mile.

Little believes the horse has the ability next preparation to develop into a consistent staying type that has the potential to measure up to the country cups circuit next season.

"He is a tough customer this bloke and will get a strong 2400m which could make him a handy stayer,” Little said.

The son of Irish sire Tobougg now boasts a record of two wins and two seconds from six starts with prizemoney in excess of $21,700.

Thirteen Skins ($2,$2.10) was driven out of the gates by apprentice Taylor Lovelock-Wiggins causing the colt to overrace behind the leading division in the early stages.

Lovelock-Wiggins had no option but to come around the field and take up the running with the best part of 1000m to travel but proved to have a class edge, sustaining his run, and fighting on to defeat Danz Boy ($5,$4.20) by a long neck with a gap of more than four lengths to Teratoa ($7,$10,$9).

A three-year-old colt by Irish stallion Tobougg, Thirteen Skins was bred by Little's late wife Jacquie but was somewhat of a surprise addition to the Lord Lodge team recounts Little.

"He was breed secretly by Jacquie, totally unbeknown to me until I got a bill for him one day," said Little.

"So I took the big raw boned, green, old fashioned staying horse over and it has taken a lot of work to get him where he is today.

"I still don't know who she was going to get to train him," Little joked.

Little is still humoured by the colt's first race start in which he almost didn't line up after planting his feet on course to the starting gates.

"His first start in a race the jockey had to get off him at the 800m mark because he saw the barriers and didn't want to go anywhere near them," said Little.

"Eventually he led him to the barriers and ran an eye-catching fourth after tailing off early."

Little believes the consistent staying type, who also shows a nice turn of foot, could measure up to the country cups next season should he continue to improve with maturity.

"I think he will have one more run this time in and then we will tip him out for next season," said Little.

"He is a tough customer this bloke and will get a strong 2400m which could make him a handy stayer."

Thirteen Skins has only missed a cheque on the one occasion in five career starts for $13,000 in prizemoney.
 

"I said to Colin that this horse had ability but wouldn't win a race under seven furlongs," said Nolen.

El Stupendo ($1.50,$2,$1.90) was heavily supported in the betting ring but had bookies smiling in the run sitting the best part of ten lengths off the pace in the three wide line with cover.

Nolen started a long run approaching the home turn and produced a strong finish to wear down Power Cat ($26), who kicked three lengths clear in the straight, scoring by more than a length on the line with a further head to Tricky Choice ($5,$6.50).

The win also came as some surprise to trainer Colin Little who wasn't expecting to see the three-year-old's best over the short trips.

"It has been said he would need a mile and I tended to agree," said Little.

"That said it didn't look to be the strongest field today."

Little observed the gelding's 'sluggish' racing style as a likely attribute going forward, despite almost costing El Stupendo victory.

"He did get a long way back today and has always been a sluggish horse that only does as much as he is asked," said Little.

"However when he gets to 2000m and relaxes the way he does it will hold him in good stead, especially as he responds to the jockey.

"The further he goes the better he will go."

Little praised the faith and patience showed in him by connections and said he would resist temptations to send the gelding to the city.

"The owners of this horse have been very patient with me as he was going nowhere as a colt," said Little.

"The form he is showing gives them some light at the end of the tunnel as gelding such a well bred colt was not an easy choice.

"We will keep him in the country for a while as being a four-year-old in a few weeks they would just have too much experience for him in the city.

"But I'm not too concerned as the family have all taken time," Little added.

Lonhreign ($8,$10) jumped from barrier three and apprentice Jason Maskiell made full use of the draw giving the first starter a rails run throughout.

After balancing up Maskiell peeled Lonhreign off the heels of the leaders and the two-year-old found the line strongly, running away to score by half a length over Bell Trees ($3,$1.90) with a head further back to Decided ($4.40,$15).

It was a clinical debut for the son of Lonhro but Little admitted after the win he hadn't expected to greet the judge first up.

"He has always shown a fair bit of potential on the training track but I thought he might find the 1000m a bit short today," said Little.

"But he was given a great run in transit by Jason and it probably made the difference on the line."

Little is now considering stepping the 'unbeaten' gelding up to city class racing highlighting a lack of options for two-year-old's with a win beside their name.

"There are maidens or city races for the two-year-olds, that's about it," said Little.

"So we will head to Moonee Valley on the 24th July in a 1200m handicap and I'm sure he will improve with the extra distance and run under his belt."

Little also observed the run of stablemate Holder ($61), who finished four lengths behind Lonhreign but was inconvenienced with a poor barrier draw.

"There isn't much between the pair on the training track and I wouldn't have been surprised if the results were reversed had the barrier draw been different," Little added.

When they train a horse with above average ability, they will stick with the family.

Just a fortnight ago trainer Tony Vasil debuted the fourth of Elvstroem's brothers to race since the now famous stallion, of which Vasil has successfully guided the careers of three.

On June 29th trainer Colin Little will continue his own family affair when the career of Cox Plate winner El Segundo's full brother 'El Stupendo' begins at Geelong.

Little's affinity with the El Segundo bloodline began in the early nineties when he paid, what he considered at the time, a fortune for a weanling filly who would go on to be named Palos Verdes.

“I paid about $14,000 for this filly, which I thought was a fortune at the time,” said Little.

“Thankfully the vendor said that he would keep 50 per cent, but in return to not send him a bill which suited me at the time because it meant I had half of the horse already sold.

“Unfortunately it took me another three years to sell the rest,” added Little with a wry smile.

Little almost raced the classy mare himself but on the cusp of her career he offered the remaining shares as compensation for an outstanding bill and it wasn't long before she started burning the track.

“She was a slow maturing filly and when she was almost ready to race I received a bill for some advertising so I asked them if they had ever considered owning a racehorse, the rest is history as they say” said Little.

“She was a terrific mare for us, excelling in the summer months and at one stage held three track records after winning the Manion Cup, which is a mile and a half race at Rosehill, the Hobart Cup and in the Mornington Cup,” he added.

After succumbing to a tendon injury at the peak of her career Palos Verdes was retired to her original vendors stud but the partnership has continued to breed and race her progeny.

“The original Vendor Phillip Brown still owns half the horse and the other owners still front up for the service fees each season,” said Little who admitted it wasn't all plain sailing.

“The first of her progeny was a horse called 'The Snake' and he was exactly that,” joked Little

“I think its first run in a race was a 2000m maiden and it wasn't worth a crumpet.”

El Segundo, by Pins, was the next foal to race for the mare and couldn't have been more different from the initial failure winning twelve times for almost four million in prize money, including a Cox Plate, and it was clear Little would have to up the ante if he wanted to keep racing the family.

“After El Segundo started winning I knew that the progeny would sky-rocket in price,” said Little.

“She produced a magnificent colt which I had to pay $500,000 for, but unfortunately 'El Hermano' as we named him got an infected pedal bone ending any chance he had to race and costing us almost $60,000 in vet bills.”

“Eventually, after four to six months in a small recovery box with a drip coming from the ceiling, they were able to save his life but had to cut so much of the bone away that he now has a little donkey foot,” laughed Little who still thinks fondly of the stallion who now services 140 mares back in New Zealand.

El Stupendo is a bit on an enigma to Little, not resembling any of his siblings nor his mother and the rising four-year-old has taken longer than the trainer would've liked to get to the racetrack.

“He is absolutely nothing like any of them, not on the track, not in the box, not at all," said Little.

“He was a sluggish and stocky colt who would just keep going shin-sore.

“We'd give him decent spells and easy preps but when we would get him to trials he would go shin-sore again.

Little isn't expecting another El Segundo but is confident the gelding will find his own niche around the mile.

“Obviously very few have the speed or brilliance of his brother El Segundo," said Little.

“I'm hoping to keep him off the bog tracks but I think he will be hard to beat when he gets out over the mile and can relax as I believe his high cruising speed will hold him in good stead.

Colin Little is no different than any of us really, if you know something works you stick to it and with Palos Verdes throwing her first filly last season it's most likely Little will be regretting his decision to not keep Palos Verdes for a few more years yet.

Xian was an impressive winner on debut at Pakenham in a 1000m Maiden Plate back in February scoring by more than a length from Bambina, who has since won in the city defeating the likes of Beyond Pardon and Perminsky.

However Xian failed to impress when resuming at Moe just three weeks ago in a 0-68 rating handicap (1000m) finishing second last and almost 20 lengths from the winner.

Little wasn't too deflated by the performance citing a bottomless track as the likely cause and confident the filly will improve when she steps out on Saturday.

"It was unlike any other heavy track here in Australia," said Little at track-work this morning.

"They went in about 9 inches at Moe and she had her ears laid flat against her back, going nowhere, on the home turn."

Little conceded it was about time he and the owner tasted success again and believed the better track conditions would give him a fair assessment as to where the daughter of Cape Cross is at.

"We are looking for a better track to get a guide as to where she is at," said Little.

"She is owned by Chairman of the VRC Mr Rod Fitzroy who has been a lifetime supporter of the stable and it is about time we had another good horse together"

"Many years ago I trained a horse for Rod called Testimony who won thirteen something races in town and we have been looking for another since," Little added.

Notwithstanding the debut win Little highlighted that a number of small setbacks had impacted the fillies short career, including a tendency to tie up after gallops.

"She won on debut, but that seems like a long time ago now," Little said.

"Since then we have had our hands full with general filly problems including a lot of tying up."

Xian will jump from barrier six in the sixteen horse field with jockey Ben Melham in the saddle.

The term 'tying up' refers to a condition similar to cramping in humans where the horse will show a stiff, uncomfortable stride and a reluctance to move following a work out. It is often more pronounced in younger horses with highly strung personalities, which conversely present a number of other issues to trainers.

2007 Cox Plate winner El Segundo has been retired after sustaining a tendon injury in Saturday’s Group One George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill.

Trained by Colin Little, El Segundo finished an admirable fifth on the weekend behind Danleigh when ridden by Craig Williams.

"He had trouble getting around the Sydney way of going,” Little told Sport 927 this morning.

"He wanted to go out and Craig (Williams) was trying to hold him in and I think the battle that ensued...well at the end of the day he has strained his right tendon.

"He has previously had a problem with his left tendon but that's been 100% rehabilitated with the stem cell treatment.

"It still takes a year to rehabilitate these horses.

"We scanned him and it's certainly there and with consultation with the owners we thought that he'd be a nine-year-old at least before he comes back and we don’t want to go to the well one too many times so the decision has been made to retire him,” he added.

A winner of twelve races from 35 starts with just under $4 million in prizemoney, El Segundo won four Group 1 races; the 2005 Yalumba Stakes, 2006 Underwood Stakes, 2007 CF Orr and 2007 Cox Plate.

His last Group 1 victory in the Cox Plate also proved to be the last win of his career with Little revealing that triumph was his personal highlight.

"In 2006, he was beaten an inch and you don’t often get the opportunity to come back and be there again but he was good enough to back up the next year and win quite easy."

Picture: Quentin Lang

Colin Little Speaks After The Win

"He hasn't had much luck this preparation," said Little after the win.
"The smaller field today and cut out of the ground probably helped him out a lot and he deserved the win."
Despite a solid tempo Little was pleased to see Cavendish on the pace.
"I was happy to see him on the pace and out of trouble," he said.
"They never go too hard here at Sandown so you don't want to get too far back."
Little observed that the breeding traits were quite evident in the performance.
"Being out of a Stravinsky mare probably puts a little ping into him," said Little.

Damien Oliver All Smiles

"I also think he will relish the cut out of the ground being a New Zealand bred horse and he could improve on a slow track."
Damien Oliver was forthright in predicting a bright future for his mount.
"It was a good win," said Oliver.
"He will certainly graduate to Saturday class."
The win takes Cavendish's win tally to two from just five starts and his career earnings to over $25,000 putting him well on the way to recouping his 2008 sale price of $65,000.
Photos By Sportpix