Heavyweight jockey Steven Arnold is watching the kilograms in the countdown to his first Golden Slipper ride on the David Hayes-trained Shaaheq.Arnold has been starved of opportunities to ride in the Slipper because of his weight but is making a determined effort to partner Shaaheq at 54.5kg for the second time in a month."I rarely ride that light but she is a pretty nice filly and a good chance so I think she's worth it," Arnold said.Shaaheq has finished among the top two in her five runs and A

Heavyweight jockey Steven Arnold is watching the kilograms in the countdown to his first Golden Slipper ride on the David Hayes-trained Shaaheq.

Arnold has been starved of opportunities to ride in the Slipper because of his weight but is making a determined effort to partner Shaaheq at 54.5kg for the second time in a month.

"I rarely ride that light but she is a pretty nice filly and a good chance so I think she's worth it," Arnold said.

Shaaheq has finished among the top two in her five runs and Arnold was keen to ride her after her photo-finish second to Star Witness in the Blue Diamond Stakes on February 20.

After some dieting, he rode her at 54.5kg in the Breeders Stakes when he booted her home to her first win, scoring by 1-1/2 lengths.

"I rode her 54.5kg down the straight at Flemington so I know I can get to that weight so it will be sweet on the day," Arnold said.

"She won pretty easily at Flemington after getting beaten in the last stride in the Diamond so it is pretty good form."

Shaaheq has drawn the outside of the 15 runners in the Slipper and Arnold believes he will probably have little option but to ride her back.

"Obviously if the track races normally with a normal pattern it is the worst draw but if the track cuts up a bit and they are swooping late it makes it a bit easier," he said.

"We will probably ride her a bit quiet and see if we can get home."

Rival jockey Michael Rodd said Beneteau was drawn ideally in barrier six and he wasn't worried by the youngster's form lapse last start when sixth of seven in the Skyline Stakes (1200m).

"He raced a bit flat last time but he was coming back from Melbourne so I am not too worried," Rodd said.

"It is a perfect gate for him and he will probably go back midfield, a bit behind midfield, and we will save him for one last run.

"It is an even sort of field but it looks like the race is going to be run to suit him."

Beneteau, who finished third as favourite in the Blue Diamond, was one of the top elects for the Golden Slipper before his flop at odds-on in the Skyline won by Hinchinbrook.

Rodd has since tested him in a private barrier trial at Scone and was pleased with how he came through the hitout.

Meanwhile, Glen Boss' hopes of riding in the Golden Slipper hinge on his appeal against a careless riding suspension set down for Thursday morning.

Boss has been booked to partner Georgette Silk for trainer Clarry Conners.

Conners had Damien Oliver on standby but he was snapped up to ride More Strawberries by Gai Waterhouse when her jockey Corey Brown was injured in a fall at Warwick Farm on Tuesday.

Conners said he did not have another jockey in mind at this stage and would wait to hear the fate of Boss' appeal.

"Whoever is available now will still be available tomorrow," he said.