Kenedna ($10) stormed home to beat Life Less Ordinary ($7.50), with a former stablemate Sixties Groove ($21) third.

She was only the third mare after Cinque Cento (2007) and Streama (2014) to win the Doomben Cup since it switched to weight-for-age in 1990.

Weir trained Kenedna when she won the Doomben Roses and finished fourth in the Queensland Oaks in 2017 on her previous visit to Queensland.

Maher and his co-trainer David Eustace inherited Kenedna when Weir was disqualified earlier this year.

She has now won two group 1 races for them, having also taken out the Queen Of The Turf Stakes at Randwick last month.

Maher said he wanted to pay tribute to Weir, who had several of his horses go to the Maher-Eustace training partnership when he was banned.

"Kenedna arrived in great condition and was a credit to Darren. The fact we could win (at Randwick) with her was a bonus," Maher said.

"But it was Darren who convinced the owners to go on with Kenedna rather than send her to stud last year.

"She has now won two group 1s and is a very valuable broodmare."

Maher also paid tribute to Ballarat jockey John Allen, who scored his fourth gfroup 1 win for the season on Kenedna.

Allen mixes flat riding with going over the jumps and also had a long association with Weir.

"He got the run at the right time and it was a great ride," Maher said.

It was Maher's second group 1 win for the season and his third at Doomben.

Allen said he had a perfect run and he decided not to go too early.

"When I went for her she really attacked the line," he said.

Allen, and Maher and Eustace completed a memorable day when Etana landed a confident betting move to win the group 2 The Roses.

Etana was bought by Maher for $400,000 at the Magic Millions yearling sales in 2017 and enhanced her value immeasurably following Saturday's win.

The daughter of Cox Plate winner Shamus Award is now the $6 equal favourite, slashed from $26, for the group 1 Queensland Oaks at Doomben on June 1.

Meanwhile, Allen will appeal a careless riding ban out of the Doomben Cup.

Allen was suspended for 13 days after stewards found him guilty of allowing Kenedna to move in at the 300m, causing interference to Savvy Coup.

He is expected to seek an internal review of the decision after he pleaded not guilty.