World-renowned jockey Andrea Atzeni asked to be relieved from his riding contract with the powerful Sheikh Fahad training operation that prepares Arod.

Atzeni was allowed to walk away from his contract with Qatar Racing, which has horses trained across the world and which subsequently contacted Williams on Saturday night to secure him for the ride.

Arod is highly thought of by Qatar Racing, which has used Williams extensively through its association with the Robert Smerdon establishment in Australia.

Arod shot to notoriety just last week when connections were keen to have the horse removed from quarantine at Newmarket in England and taken to France for a group 1 event on Arc de Triomphe Stakes day.

However, Australian quarantine officials refused the request, maintaining that only sick or injured horses can leave the compound.

Arod, along with a number of internationals, flew into Melbourne last week and is currently stabled at the Werribee quarantine base.

Qatar Racing will also have an interest on Saturday when its highly performed mare Noble Protector takes on the group 1 Toorak Handicap at Caulfield.

Noble Protector was a one-time Cox Plate threat, but an indifferent showing at her first start from a spell at Flemington put some doubt on that engagement.

"She was a touch disappointing at Flemington, I must say that, but her work since has been very good and she will be highly competitive on Saturday," Smerdon said.

Noble Protector was taken to Moonee Valley last week for a gallop on the course proper and impressed Williams, who for the first time in a number of starts, will not be aboard the mare on Saturday.

Williams is committed to last-start group 1 winner Lucky Hustler, who will be one of the major chances in the 1600m handicap.

Smerdon said that he'd asked jockey Mark Zahra to ride the mare, however it's problematical whether the rider can make the 54kg she has been allotted.

"He [Zahra] rode at 54.5kg last weekend and we'll just wait and see if he can get down to the 54kg that she's likely to get," he said.

In other news, jockeys Luke Currie and Chris Parnham will appeal their suspensions on Tuesday in a bid to ride at the rich Caulfield Guineas on Saturday. They were both outed for careless riding last Thursday at Bendigo, with Currie out for nine meetings and Parnham eight. They are both appealing the severity of their suspensions.