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Three-time Melbourne Cup winning jockey Kerrin McEvoy is chasing an Australian Oaks breakthrough win at Randwick on Saturday.

Newcastle trainer Kris Lees has booked McEvoy for last Saturday’s G3 Adrian Knox Stakes winner Aliferous after Brenton Avdulla had to forego the mount.

“Brenton already had another commitment, so it was good to be able to get Kerrin for the filly,” Lees said.

“Aliferous has come through the Adrian Knox really well and deserves her shot at a Group 1.”

McEvoy’s best placing so far in the $1 million Australian Oaks (2400m) was a third on Believe in 2016.

Aliferous joins stablemate Frankely Awesome, who was withdrawn from last Saturday’s Australian Derby over the same course to be reserved for the fillies’ classic.

The Frankel filly will be ridden Hugh Bowman, a jockey with an outstanding Oaks record.

He has won the ATC Oaks five times and Frankely Awesome gives him the opportunity to make it four in succession.

Bowman won the Oaks on Daffodil (2009) and Streama (2012) and started his current sequence on Sofia Rosa in 2016. Bonneval (2017) and Unforgotten (2018) followed.

Lees hopes to have as many as four representatives in Saturday’s $2 million Sydney Cup (3200m).

“I will accept with Red Cardinal, Big Duke, Doukhan and Fairlight,” he said.

Red Cardinal and Big Duke are assured of starts but Doukhan and Fairlight are currently outside the maximum field of 20 in ballot order.

Jason Collett goes back on to Red Cardinal, Avdulla stays with Big Duke and Andrew Gibbons will ride veteran Doukhan if he secures a berth.

Collett won the Listed Parramatta Cup (1900m) at Rosehill on February 23 on Red Cardinal beating Big Duke at his first start after joining Lees’ team.

McEvoy then rode him to victory in the G3 Sky High Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on March 16.

McEvoy is riding the lightly-raced English stayer Dubhe for the Godolphin stable in the Sydney Cup.

Dubhe wil be making his Australian debut for UK trainer Charlie Appleby.

Avdulla has been aboard Big Duke in all four starts – three of them seconds – for Lees.

The seven-year-old turned in a first-class Cup trial when runner-up to Avilius at level weights in the G1 Tancred Stakes (2400m) at Rosehill on March 30 on a Heavy 9 surface.

Le Romain won’t back up against Winx in Saturday’s $4m Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m).

The six-year-old, a brave ninth to three-year-old Brutal in last Saturday’s $3m Doncaster Mile, will be reserved for Saturday week’s G1 All Aged Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.

Lees has three representatives – Chalmers (James McDonald), Turnberry (Bowman) and Evalina (Avdulla) - as he bids to win Saturday’s $500,000 PolyTrack Provincial Championships Final (1400m) for a third time.

He was successful with Danish Twist in 2016 and Serene Miss last year.

Invincible Gem and Princess Posh are certain starters in Saturday’s $1 million Coolmore Legacy Stakes (1600m).

* Glen Boss, fresh from his victory aboard Brutal in the Doncaster Mile, is expected to ride last Saturday's Chairman’s Handicap winner Gallic Chieftain in the Sydney Cup.

Gallic Chieftain has only 51.5kg, too light for his regular partner Damian Lane.