Jockey Mark Zahra will be able to pilot Eskimo Queen for this weekend's Doncaster Handicap after she was penalised one kilo on Monday for her victory in last Saturday's Group One Coolmore Classic.
Eskimo Queen will now carry 53.5kg in this Saturday's feature mile, meaning trainer Mike Moroney will not have to search for a new rider. Zahra had been unable to trim down to 52kg.
Moroney had been expecting a penalty of either 0.5kg or one kilo with Eskimo Queen.
Racing NSW's handicapping panel said the mare, now a dual Group One winner, was entitled to a penalty due to the number of stars withdrawn from the race since weights were released.
Weekend Hussler became the latest Doncaster casualty after his win in the George Ryder Stakes on Saturday, joining the likes of Sydney star Racing To Win and gun miler Divine Madonna.
Moroney told Sportal on Monday morning, prior to the announcement of the penalty, he believed Eskimo Queen would be ideally suited by the step up to 1600m for the Doncaster.
Moroney said the likelihood of a wet track this Saturday at Randwick would suit Eskimo Queen, an Oaks winner from last season and an unlucky third in the Group One Underwood Stakes (1800m) at weight-for-age level last September.
"The fact there's a lot of rain about means it's going to be like an 1800m race because of the testing track. I think it's going to be spot on for her," Moroney said.
Moroney's only query with Eskimo Queen is whether she will back up from her victory on a heavy track last Saturday.
"We tried with the Queensland Oaks and the Derby but we didn't see how she went because she never made it around," he said.
Moroney said the mare had not shown any ill-effects from Saturday's race.
"But in saying that we've only had her in the swimming pool. We were going to take her to the beach this morning but it was too wet," he said.
"We only swum her and we'll hop back on her back before payment time just to make sure. She appears to be right."
Hot Danish, second in the Coolmore, and George Ryder Stakes placegetter Casino Prince would be the toughest to beat in the Doncaster, Moroney said.
Casino Prince - a Group One weight-for-age winner - will carry only 54.5kg, 4.5kg less than what he carried in the Ryder, in the Doncaster.
"I think he's going to be well off with that," said trainer Anthony Cummings.
"And the question with him is the wet track although he did handle the track on Saturday. But it was an unusual sort of wet track. Some horses that previously hadn't handled wet did and some that did, did not."
"In any event he ran well and he'll run well again on Saturday."