Stable jockeys Nash Rawiller and Blake Shinn will make way for riders from Melbourne and Hong Kong on two of Gai Waterhouse's three intended runners in the $600,000 Epsom Handicap at Randwick on Saturday week.

Waterhouse today confirmed that Melbourne's Stephen Baster and Hong Kong-based Zac Purton would be riding for the stable in the Group One Epsom.

Waterhouse has also booked Peter Robl for the Epsom as her three contenders are all handicapped below Rawiller and Shinn's minimum riding weights.

Waterhouse intends to start Bank Robber, Ashikaga and Theseo in the Epsom in a bid to win the Group One race for the fifth time and edge closer to the record of seven wins held by her late father Tommy Smith.

Waterhouse has booked Baster to ride Ashikaga while Purton will make a special trip home from Hong Kong for the Epsom mount on Theseo.

Robl will ride Bank Robber, who is subject to a stewards inquiry into his failure at Rosehill last Saturday but according to Waterhouse is fit and well and remains on track to run in the Epsom.

Ashikaga, who suffered his first career defeat in five starts when second in last Wednesday's Cameron Handicap at Newcastle, will have his final Epsom lead-up in Saturday's Group One $400,000 George Main Stakes under weight-for-age conditions.

Waterhouse will also run Theseo in the George Main Stakes while she expects Bank Robber to be cleared to continue his Epsom preparation after she attends a stewards hearing at 12.30pm today.

The results of a vet examination of Bank Robber at Waterhouse's stables did not detect any abnormalities but stewards may rule that the gelding has to trial at Randwick on Friday following his poor showing in last Saturday's Shannon Stakes as an odds on favourite.

Ashikaga has only 50kg in the Epsom but is expected to make the field despite a low position on the order of entry after he failed to beat the ballot by winning the Cameron.

Theseo has 51.5kg in the Epsom and Bank Robber 52kg.

Waterhouse is keeping the ride on Wyong and Newcastle Cup winner Bianca in the $600,000 AJC Metropolitan on Saturday week open for Nash Rawiller.

The mare has 53kg in the Metropolitan after receiving a 1kg penalty for her Newcastle Cup win, a weight still too light for Rawiller.

However Waterhouse is waiting to see if weights for the Metropolitan will be raised to meet the minimum top weight requirement of 56.5kg as many of the higher weighted horses are unlikely acceptors.


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