Randwick trainer Peter Robl will once again try to outwit Ninth Legion into bringing his best to the track in the Festival Stakes at Rosehill on Saturday.

Robl has enlisted English jockey James Doyle in an effort to get Ninth Legion, who has won more than $1 million in stakes, to secure a ninth win.

"He is a cunning old thing," Robl said. "You need to trick him into winning sometimes.

"He is one of those horses that you need to coax the best out of him and show him different looks."

Robl should know. He won on him four times as a jockey before taking over as his trainer and getting another couple of wins out of him.

Now a seven-year-old, Ninth Legion won his first two starts with Robl in the saddle and was fifth in a TJ Smith as a two-year-old and fourth in Epaulette's Golden Rose. He ran fifth in a Doncaster and fourth in an Epsom, so there is little doubt about his quality.

"He was a group 1 horse on his day. He could hold his own in that company, but he knows how to look after himself," Robl said.

It was that frustration that came through after Ninth Legion's last start when he ran eighth at Rosehill behind Religify a couple of weeks ago.

"I thought he was going really well heading into that race and then he came out and did that," Robl said. "He went home licked out his bin that night, it was like it was a good day out for him.

"I was worried that something was wrong with him, but there wasn't. He just had a day out and a look around Rosehill as he can do."

Ninth Legion is on his way to the Villiers Stakes, a race he won three years ago under Robl, who knows he has to "out-think" his charge. Hence, the booking of Doyle, who arrived this week to ride for Godolphin during the summer.

"He thinks and James will give him something to think about. He wouldn't have seen his style [of riding] before," Robl said. "I know James is a very strong rider and he needs that.

"I was always trying different things on him when I rode him, just make him switch on and the same goes now.

"James is a world-class jockey but the way he rides will be a fair bit different to way our jockeys ride.

"It might just give [Ninth Legion] the shock he needs to produce his best. If he does, he should nearly be favourite for a race like this."

Instead, Ninth Legion is a $26 outsider at Ladbrokes, which has made Religify a $4.20 favourite ahead of Rageese at $5.50, who is looking to become Darren Weir's first winner in Sydney.

A last-start winner during the Flemington carnival, Rageese has been to Perth since, but was scratched from the Railway Stakes due to a foot problem.

Robl also has Brulee and Iggi Pop heading to Rosehill as he looks to continue a big week for the Segenhoe silks after they had five winners at Sunshine Coast.

"Iggi Pop gets to a trip where he is going to be better suited and even from the bad draw he will put himself in the race and make them chase him," Robl said.

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