Newitt Hungry For More Sydney Success

Craig Newitt has already made his mark on the Sydney carnival with his TJ Smith victory on star sprinter Lankan Rupee.

The Melbourne jockey returns for the second day of The Championships at Randwick where his rides on Saturday include the Chris Waller-trained My Kingdom Of Fife in the $4 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Brigantin in the $1 million Sydney Cup.

Newitt won the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Pompeii Ruler in 2009 and claimed the Sydney Cup on Jessicabeel a year later.

My Kingdom Of Fife returned to the races last month after almost 2-1/2 years off through injury and the 2011 winner is back for another shot at the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

Newitt rode My Kingdom Of Fife for the first time in last Saturday’s Doncaster Mile in which he finished midfield on a heavy track and the jockey is expecting him to run a cheeky race.

“I’ll be disappointed if he doesn’t run in the top four or five,” Newitt said.

“He is going well. He (Waller) has been soft on him because of his injuries and he is racing him into fitness.

“He’s had a couple of real hard runs on bog tracks now and I reckon he goes into the race spot-on, but out of form on paper.”

Former French-based stayer Brigantin has yet to win in Australia since arriving in the spring of 2012.

He drops back to a handicap after being beaten five lengths in the weight-for-age BMW and is proven over the distance in France.

Newitt had never ridden Jessicabeel before he partnered her to Cup success and hopes for the same result with Brigantin on Saturday.

“He’s drawn a good gate, he’ll race on the speed and he’ll be strong late,” Newitt said.

Newitt has won a Sydney Group One for Waller aboard The Verminator in the 2011 Metropolitan.

Markets suggest Newitt’s best chance of victory on Saturday is on Oakleigh Girl in the Group Three Royal Randwick Stakes.

The Danny Bougoure-trained filly held on for a solid sixth in the Golden Slipper, three lengths from the winner Mossfun.

– AAP

 

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