After weights were announced on Wednesday afternoon, revealing Zarhron as the top weight with a maximum 65kg, Molloy and owners engaged in a lengthy debate about whether they should accept.

It was a tough decision, Molloy said, but the lure of a fourth Japan Cowra Cup victory was too much.

“If he hadn’t won it three times in a row you just wouldn’t do it. You wouldn’t go down that track,” trainer Andrew Molloy said.

“I spoke to the handicapper in depth. He isn’t ill treated in comparison to the other top runners, it’s just a big number.”

This Sunday, Dubbo-based apprentice jockey Chris Williams will relieve Zarhron of two kilograms, one kilogram less than when Williams was onboard 12 months ago, but Molloy said Zarhron tends to struggle carrying weight above 61.5kg.

He won the 2015 cup with the minimum 54kg, backed it up in 2016 with 61kg and last year he lugged 63.5kg but he had Williams’ three kilogram claim.

“He was blessed he got in with 54kg in the first year so he’s come off the complete minimum to now the complete maximum,” Molloy said.

“It’s concerning, the last bit of the race he could be struggling.”

However, this race shapes as Zarhron’s peak run this campaign.

The eight-year-old gelding is traditionally at his best when he’s third-up after a lengthy spell.  

Before his race at Narromine on December 18 and Canterbury on January 5, Zarhron had spent 36 weeks in the paddock.

“Third-up, long break. His whole preparation was aimed at this weekend. Everything since he entered the stables has been aimed at him racing this week whether it be here or Sydney,” Molloy said.

Zarhron’s expected to set the pace this Sunday, but it won’t be like previous years when he’s hit the top of the bend and accelerated to victory, Molloy said.

“I would imagine if he’s not leading he’ll be outside the leader and just rolling along with that weight. He won’t quicken like he has in previous years when he’s really kicked. You can’t kick with that weight it’s all momentum. He’ll have to build momentum from the 400m or 500m and it’ll take a bit of guts for the last bit,” he said.

Zarhron remains unbeaten in Cowra having picked up the three Japan Cowra Cups and won a trial by about 10 lengths.

Molloy said the Racing NSW office was only aware of one other horse to win four cups in a row and that was Zipping, who won the Sandown Cup in years 2007 to 2010 and had the race named the Zipping Classic in his honour. 

“Maybe we could get this race named after him,” Molloy said with tongue-in-cheek.

“Three is great. Four you just don’t envision.”

Zarhron is likely to head to Canterbury in a few weeks after this Sunday, still in pursuit of an elusive city victory – “the last piece of the puzzle”.

“That’s the last piece of the puzzle, winning a race in Sydney,” Molloy said.

The races this Sunday have been brought forward due to extreme heat forecast so the Japan Cowra Cup will be run at 11.55am.

Racing starts from 10.45am, gates open 9.30am.