Under the concept, now in its third year, a team of 'metropolitan' jockeys spearheaded by Melbourne Cup-winning jockeys Brett Prebble and Jye McNeil and Group 1 superstar Jamie Kah, will go head-to-head against the 'country' team, led by Craig Newitt and team captain Jarrod Fry, in a series of seven races down the straight at Flemington.

Stanley, the 1996 Group 1 Caulfield Cup-winning jockey and now training on-course at the Bendigo Jockey Club, has El Salto engaged in race five, a benchmark 64 over 1100m.

The four-year-old gelding is on the verge of a breakthrough city win following a desperately unlucky second at Moonee Valley at his last start, when slow to begin and held up for a run from the 400m to the 200m, before laying in at the 100m and only going down by less than half a length.

It followed another close second at Werribee earlier that month behind Joltin' Joe, who has since gone on to finish second at city level at Flemington and Moonee Valley.

Stanley is hoping Friday will be the day El Salto, a winner of three of 18 starts and placed three times, delivers on his city-winning potential.

"He's honest when ridden the right way and his recent form is good," said Stanley on Thursday on his way back from the Magic Millions yearling sale on the Gold Coast.

"He encountered every problem he could have (last start), but he's going well.

"He's had a long preparation, but he thrives off it. He just loves being in work and he loves racing."

The second favourite in the early betting at $5 behind the Jason Warren and Dean Krongold-trained Tax Free Prophet, El Salto will be ridden by Matthew Cartwright.

Stanley, who was born in the regional city of Queanbeyan, but was Melbourne-based for the bulk of his riding career and the early part of his training career, before settling in Sutton Grange and later Bendigo, admits to no real allegiance to either the city or country team.

But he is stoked to have drawn 19-year-old Cartwright, who is representing the city team on Friday, as his jockey.

Stanley is great friends with Cartwright's father Rikki, a former jockey, who also hailed from Queanbeyan.

"We've been close family friends from the day we were born, so I couldn't be more thrilled to have Matty on board," he said.

"He's a very good young jockey. I'm a big fan of Matty Cartwright."

Into its third year, with the metropolitan team holding a 2-0 advantage, Stanley said he always liked to support new initiatives in racing

"People like different," he said.

Among El Salto's rivals will be Kerioth from the George Osborne stable at Kyneton.

The four-year-old gelding, to be ridden by Jye McNeil, is one of two runners on the program at Flemington for Osborne.

He will also saddle up Iron One (Craig Newitt) in the opening event.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can access our trusted content: