Bowman gave Raheen House a trouble-free run through the field to claim the group 2 Chairman's Quality (2600m) on day one of the championships.

He firmed from $15 into $8 for this Saturday's Sydney Cup but Bowman cannot keep the ride. He is now suspended until April 18 for not riding Avilius to the line in the group 1 Tancred Stakes when third.

Lees said on Sunday that Avdulla would take Bowman's place. Nash Rawiller will ride stablemate and second favourite Mustajeer ($5) in the $1 million race.

Saturday's win was a maiden victory in Australia for Raheen House, which was third-up in his first campaign with Newcastle's top trainer after coming from the stables of William Haggas.

A group 3 and listed winner over similar distances, the six-year-old former UK gelding thrived over 2600m on the heavy going at Randwick, coming from worse than midfield on the fence to finish over the top of favourite Carif by 1.3 lengths as a $17 chance.

The Australian Bloodstock stayer finished sixth in two slowly run 2000m and 2400m assignments on soft going this preparation and Lees was confident of an improvement with conditions to suit.

"We gave him a good chance, if he got somewhere near back to his best," Lees said.

"His old form would have him right in a race like that and he showed in his previous run that he was ready for the trip, so it wasn't a big surprise.

"They went along at a pretty good tempo, so that helped. It was a good win."

Bowman said Raheen House had room for improvement after overracing on Saturday.

Lees hoped the testing run and quick back-up would help Raheen House settle in the Sydney Cup.

"It might just take the edge off him and help him settle a bit, which he'll need to do to run out a strong two mile," Lees said.

"It all comes down to the pace of that race as well, and it's another level up, but he's on the right path."

Lees, who won the Sydney Cup in 2006 with County Tyrone, said Saunter Boy could be another runner in the race this year.

"He would be second-up into it and we'll just see how he works Tuesday morning," he said.

All three potential Lees-trained runners are from Hunter syndicators Australian Bloodstock, who won the race last year with Shraaoh.

Meanwhile, Lees said In Her Time may back up this Saturday in the group 2 Sapphire Stakes (1200m) after she finished eighth, 5.4 lengths from winner Nature Strip, in the TJ Smith Stakes.

He said Aliferous was unlikely to run on Saturday, Game Of Thorns would race in the group 1 Australian Oaks, and Miss Fabulass, Delectation Girl and Invincible Gem were potential starters in the Coolmore Legacy.

On Sunday, Lees and Australian Bloodstock won the $200,000 Wellington Boot (1100m) with two-year-old filly Zeftabrook, which was scratched from the Kindergarten Stakes on Saturday.

** Racing NSW on Sunday announced reductions in prizemoney because of losses due to coronavirus restrictions. The reductions will apply after Saturday and continue until June 30.

Races of $100,000 and above will be reduced by 20 per cent, races between $25,000 and $100,000 will be cut by 10 per cent and the minimum prizemoney for country TAB races will drop from $22,000 to $20,000.

There will be no reductions for non-TAB and picnic races.

Programming changes have also been made with the stand-alone Saturday meetings at Hawkesbury and Scone on April 25 and May 16 respectively transferred to Rosehill.

The $500,000 Coast, originally to be held at Gosford on May 9, will be replaced by a benchmark race at the meeting now transferred to Randwick.

Benchmark races in Sydney on Saturdays will drop from $125,000 to $100,000.

The Group One All Aged Stakes on April 18 will be worth $500,000, down from $600,000.