The son of two Tasmanian jockeys, Newitt started his career in his native state before accepting an invitation to finish his apprenticeship with Hall Of Fame trainer Lee Freedman.
This is also known as Online Behavioural Advertising. Just last week Newitt and his wife Karli celebrated the birth of their fourth child Reign, and along with Noah 8, Chase, 6 and Casey, 5, the family hopes to be resettled in Tasmania in the next six to eight weeks. A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. Then, he probably never wanted to return. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us.
This is also known as Online Behavioural Advertising. WHEN jockey Craig Newitt left Tasmania as a baby-faced teenager almost 16 years ago he had hopes of making it to the top in a sport that rewards only the talented and the brave.The kid from Devonport left Tasmania with an impeccable record, having out-ridden his Tasmanian claiming allowance in his first year in the saddle.He landed the plumb job as an apprentice with Australian Racing Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman whose stable, at the time, was the leading yard in Victoria.Trainers quickly cottoned onto Newitt’s empathy with horses and his natural left-handed whip style that secured him many plumb rides in feature races which ultimately led him to join forces with Caulfield-based mentor Mick Price.Newitt, 33, had an association with some champions including Lankan Rupee, a winner of four Group 1s including a $2.1 million T. J. Smith Stakes and Miss Andretti that won five times at Group 1 level.He has partnered Group 1 winners in four states and he has ridden with moderate success in Singapore and rode Miss Andretti in a Group 1 at Royal Ascot in the UK.As the years rolled on Newitt experienced life at the top and endured the hardship that resulted from an 18-month suspension from which many jockeys would not recover but his determination and ability enabled him to regroup and ride his way back to the top.Newitt missed the entire 2004-05 season after being found guilty of lying to stewards at an inquiry over his handling of a horse Leone Chiara in a race at Sandown in November 2003.As of last week Newitt had ridden 1713 winners of which 33 were at Group 1 level with the prizemoney tally from all of his wins and placings sitting at just over $82 million.Most diehard racing pundits have asked why would a jockey of his calibre and at such a young age with so much more to give at the elite level want to return to Tasmania to live.The answer is simple. Sorry we couldn't find a match for that, please try again
Newitt and his wife Karli had their fourth child, Reign, last week. Invalid postcode. Berry and Sydney’s all-conquering trainer combined to win the Doncaster last year with Sacred Falls and that horse is among a record six runners from the Waller stable in the $3 million race on Day One of The Championships.Newitt had originally been booked to ride Weary but the horse’s owners, Geoff and Mary Grimish, were among the late Nathan Berry’s biggest supporters and Newitt, realising the circumstances, has allowed Nathan’s twin brother Tommy to take the ride.Waller yesterday described Newitt’s action as that of a “true gentleman’’ and added that he was “very proud to have Tommy aboard and we expect the horse (Weary) to run very well”.Newitt said that although he regarded Weary as a “big chance’’ of winning the Doncaster, he felt the right thing to do was to step aside for Tommy Berry.“This is a sad time for everyone who knew Nathan and we are all feeling for Tommy,’’ Newitt said.
Craig Newitt is the son of two Tasmanian jockeys and he moved to Victoria to finish his apprenticeship with Lee Freedman.
They also have three other sons, Noah, 8, Chase, 6. and Casey, 5. Craig Newitt thought his days of being a force on the Victorian circuit were gone when he returned to his native Tasmania in late 2017.
A MAGNANIMOUS gesture by fellow jockey Craig Newitt has enabled Tommy Berry to join forces with Chris Waller to try and defend their Doncaster Mile … Newitt and his wife Karli want to raise their four children, Noah, 8, Chase, 6, Casey, 5, and Reign, four weeks, in a better and safer environment than they have living in a Melbourne.“I always planned to come back to Tasmania to live but it has just come a bit sooner that we expected,” Newitt said.“I have dedicated the past 15 years to racing and the hard work has paid off but in recent times I’ve had to reset my thinking and all I want to do now is concentrate on my family.“I don’t want to have to be outside in the back yard watching my kids play for fear of something bad happening to them and that’s what it’s like where we were living and it was in what is considered a very good neighbourhood.“When I was growing up in Tassie I had a great childhood and I just want to give my children the same opportunities I had and Karli feels just the same way.”Newitt will continue to ride interstate on Saturdays as he still is a much sought-after commodity.“I’m only an hour away from Melbourne so it’s not as if I’m giving up on riding at the elite level but I’ll just be based in Tasmania,” he said.“I know the same amount of opportunities won’t exist with me living in Tassie but there are still quite a few prominent owners and trainers who are keen to keep putting me on.”Newitt had a great relationship with his late father Guy Newitt and he intends to secure the same relationship with his four boys.“My dad was my best mate and I am hoping to have that same sort of relationship with my four sons and the best way to establish that is if I am living in Tasmania.” How the wheel has turned.