James McDonald is free to ride at the first Group One meeting of the season pending an appeal against a suspension for weighing in underweight at Canterbury.
McDonald was suspended after he weighed in 800 grams under his allotted weight aboard Charge Account Wednesday, with the horse subsequently disqualified.
He will ride on a stay of proceedings with the hearing to take place on September 21 leaving him free to partner Ashokan in the $1 million Golden Rose on Saturday week and Gloaming Stakes contender It’s A Dundeel, one of two winners for McDonald at Canterbury.
The star New Zealand jockey, who has relocated to Sydney, has a strong book of Warwick Farm rides on Saturday including Chelmsford Stakes favourite Secret Admirer.
He picked up the Secret Admirer ride for the Group Two Chelmsford (1600m) with Corey Brown serving a careless riding suspension.
McDonald also rides Dear Demi in the Group Two Furious Stakes (1400m), Steps In Time in the Group Three Tramway Handicap (1400m), Magic Shaft in the Listed Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) and Upbeat in the Group Three Concorde Stakes (1100m).
Dear Demi was an eye-catching third in the Group Three Silver Shadow Stakes (1200m) first-up with McDonald aboard.
The winner of the Silver Shadow, Nechita, is being saved for the Golden Rose.
Silver Shadow runner-up Meidung is the slight favourite at $5 ahead of Dear Demi and Queensland filly Doubtfilly at $6.
“I would say she would have improved a stack with that run from the other day,” McDonald said of Dear Demi.
McDonald’s original suspension was to start after Saturday’s meeting and run until Sunday, September 23.
