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The Everest jockey shuffle is set to continue at Randwick next Saturday with James McDonald in line to be the replacement rider for the Newcastle-trained mare In Her Time.
McDonald is on standby to ride In Her Time when the dual G1-winning mare resumes in the $500,000 The Shorts (1100m) against a bevy of other Everest candidates.
Nash Rawiller has ridden In Her Time in both her recent barrier trials at Gosford (August 5) and Newcastle (August 19) but has taken The Shorts mount on another Everest contender Classique Legend.
The mount on the exciting Les Bridge-trained Classique Legend was offered to Rawiller after Kerrin McEvoy opted to stay with dual Everest winner Redzel following his sterling win over a select field in last week's G3 Concorde Stakes at Randwick.
Corey Brown has been In Her Time's regular rider – he won the G1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington in February on the Kris Lees-trained mare – but he is currently sidelined indefinitely after sustaining serious back injuries in a fall at Eagle Farm in June.
"James McDonald is on standby to ride In Her Time if, as expected, Hugh Bowman is fit to ride Osborne Bulls in The Shorts," Lees said.
"No booking has been confirmed yet for the mare in The Everest."
Bowman is racing to get back into the saddle after he fractured a finger that required surgery in a trackwork incident last week.
In Her Time was an early selection by Inglis for its slot for the third edition of $14 million Everest.
It will be the second Everest start for In Her Time after she finished seventh behind Redzel last year.
Lees will also start Graff in The Shorts in the slim hope that the talented four-year-old can pick up one of the three remaining Everest places although it looks unlikely with Coolmore, Godolphin and the Melbourne Racing Club holding those slots.
Lees said Graff is in great order following his excellent first-up third to Redzel in the Concorde Stakes.
Brenton Avdulla rode Graff in the Concorde Stakes and stays with him in The Shorts.