He might have been a household name in Perth racing who once rode for Middle Eastern royalty but Paul King is taking nothing for granted in Sydney.

King, for so long a force in the Perth jockeys' premiership without winning one, is trying to establish himself in Sydney since shifting east with his wife Samantha.

The move was made to let Samantha further her career in the field of workers' compensation insurance but it has also started out well for her husband.

King has ridden 12 winners since arriving two months ago and he makes his first serious foray into Sydney metropolitan racing with four rides at Rosehill on Saturday.

"Things have been fairly good, I can't complain," King, a six-time Group One-winning jockey, said.

"But it would be nice to sneak one across the line in the metro area at some point."

Finding his feet in a different racing jurisdiction is nothing new for King.

He has carried his saddle to Singapore, Mauritius, Macau and most recently Qatar where rode for Sheikh Fahad Al Thani, the owner of the 2011 Melbourne Cup winner Dunaden whose presence in world racing looms larger each year.

But King insists such an impressive resume isn't a passport to instant success in Sydney.

"You can't sit at home and think it is going to come to you," he said.

"It's not, so you've just got to get out there and work.

"I work pretty hard. I basically go to the track seven days a week, I don't miss a morning and even on Sunday I'll go to Randwick and ride work."

King has struck up a winning association with Paul Perry and he has two rides - The Life and Guderian - for the leading Newcastle trainer on Saturday.

Because he is living in Sydney, King divides his trackwork days between Randwick and Warwick Farm.

It is Warwick Farm's Conners clan of trainers Clarry and his son Marc who have also provided Rosehill opportunities.

"Sydney is a tough environment to break into," King said.

"There are a lot of good riders here and obviously things aren't going to happen overnight.

"Paul Perry has been very loyal to me and he's now starting to throw me on more horses in the city area which is good."