Mark Zahra is the new jockey for Ballarat mare Affair To Remember in Saturday's $500,000 Sportsbet Ballarat Cup.
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He replaces suspended apprentice Michael Poy.
Affair To Remember's trainer Dan O'Sullivan said Poy had unsuccessfully appealed to have his suspension reduced by a day to allow him to ride in the Cup.
Poy's eight-meeting ban ends on Saturday night.
He has developed a close rapport with Affair To Remember, riding her in her latest four starts for two wins and a second.
They combined to take out a benchmark78 at Flemington on September 23 and the group 2 $300,000 Matriarch Stakes, 2000m, at Flemington on Saturday, November 3 - the last day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival.
This will be the first time Zahra has been on the four-year-old.
Zahra does not ride often for O'Sullivan and as a result has ridden only a handful of winners for the stable.
O'Sullivan said Affair To Remember was in great shape, having pulled well after the Matriarch victory.
He said immediately after the group 2 win that whether he pushed on to the listed Ballarat Cup with Affair To Remember would depend on how she recovered from what he described as a "tough run".
O'Sullivan, speaking on Tuesday, said Affair To Remember could not be better.
"She's done well. It's been straight forward."
He said a consequence it had not been a hard decision to go to the Ballarat Cup to round out her spring campaign.
"$500,000. It's a big carrot. Why wouldn't you with that prizemoney on offer."
He said the 2000m was perfect and she was suited by the big track.
O'Sullivan said while the nominations were strong, Affair To Remember was accustomed to competing in high pressure races and there was always uncertainty as to how these races shaped up until acceptances were taken.
Affair To Remember is one of nine mares among the 37 nominations and has the minimum 56kg.
She will be O'Sullivan's second starter in the Ballarat Cup, with the versatile Tuscan Fire having finished fifth in 2014.
Acceptances for the 10-race metropolitan class race meeting will be declared on Wednesday.
CUP WEIGHTS
SOUTHERN FRANCE (Ciaron Maher-David Eustace) 62kg
SO SI BON (Tom Dabernig-Ben Hayes) 62kg
KINGS WILL DREAM (Chris Waller) 61.5kg
HARLEM (Tom Dabernig-Ben Hayes) 61.5kg
JUNIPAL (Ciaron Maher-David Eustace) 60kg
KIWIA (Archie Alexander) 59.5kg
AL GALAYEL (Ciaron Maher-David Eustace) 59.5kg
PACODALI (Maddie Raymond) 59kg
BUFFALO RIVER (Michael Moroney) 58kg
DANZDANZDANCE (Dean Binaisse) 56kg
INVERLOCH (Trent Busuttin-Natalie Young) 57.5kg
PLEIN CIEL (Danny O'Brien) 56.5kg
AFFAIR TO REMEMBER (Dan O'Sullivan) 56kg
ODEON (Mathew Ellerton-Simon Zahra) 56kg
OUR BIG MIKE (Brett Scott) 56kg
FURRION (Tom Dabernig-Ben Hayes) 56kg
GAME KEEPER (Tony-Calvin McEvoy) 56kg
POWER SCHEME (Tom Dabernig-Ben Hayes) 18 56kg
DOUBLE YOU TEE (Patrick Payne) 56kg
IRISH FLAME (Brett Scott) 56kg
MONGOLIAN MARSHAL (Stuart Gower) 56kg
KNIGHTS ORDER (Gai Waterhouse-Adrian Bott) 56kg
PARADEE (Danny O'Brien) 56kg
BONVICINI (Ciaron Maher-David Eustace) 56kg
HANG MAN (Michael Moroney) 56kg
WINNING PARTNER (Tony-Calvin McEvoy) 56kg
ONE MORE TRY (Matt Cumani) 56kg
BARTHOLOMEU DIAS (Ciaron Maher-David Eustace) 56kg
NORTHWEST PASSAGE (Ciaron Maher-David Eustace) 56kg
ANDREA MANTEGNA (David Jolly) 56kg
BARADE (Archie Alexander) 56kg
KAPLUMPICH (Kevin Corstens) 56kg
HUNBOSHI (Luke Oliver) 56kg
BRAMFIELD (Darryl Carrison) 56kg
HUMBLE PIE (Symon Wilde) 56kg
ROBE BAY (Dane Smith) 56kg
TRALEE ROSE (Symon Wilde) 56kg
OTHER nomination numbers:
$250,000 Magic Millions 2yo Clockwise Classic, 1000m: 15
$150,000 Magic Millions 3yo and 4yo Classic, 1100m: 22
$175,000 Magnum Equine VOBIS Gold Eureka Stockade, 1400m: 14
$75,000 Ritchies IGA Benchmark70 Handicap, 1100m: 49
$125,000 McKellar Mile, 1600m: 51
$125,000 Global Turf Benchmark78 Handicap, 2600m: 25
$125,000 The Haymarket Benchmark84 Handicap, 1400m: 41
$150,000 Hertz Ballarat Tonks Plate, 1200m: 26
$125,000 Andy Graham Welding Mares' Benchmark78, 1200m: 35