Newitt clear to ride in Caulfield Cup after Cranbourne Cup suspension

Craig Newitt will be free ride in Saturday’s Group 1 $3m Crown Golden Ale Caulfield Cup (2400m) at Caulfield even though he was suspended for careless riding on Cranbourne Cup winner Mourinho on Sunday.

Craig Newitt will be free to ride Seismos in the Caulfield Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Craig Newitt will be free to ride Seismos in the Caulfield Cup. Photo by Race Horse Photos Australia.

Newitt pleaded guilty to the charge of careless riding when stewards alleged that he allowed his mount Mourinho ($4.60) to shift out at the 150m hampering the favourite Le Roi ($3.80) and Count Encosta ($9) and was handed a six meeting suspension that will end at midnight on Friday, October 17.

The Peter Gelagotis trained Mourinho straightened up and went on to win the Listed $200,000 TAB Cranbourne Cup (2025m) from More Than Scared ($8.50) with Le Roi holding on for third.

Stewards took in account Newitt’s good riding record and his guilty plea in issuing the six meeting suspension which will enable him to be free to rode the Marco Botti trained Seismos in the Caulfield Cup on Saturday.

Seismos has done most of his racing in France and Germany before being taken over by Newmarket trainer Marco Botti who has been in charge of the Dalakhani seven year old for his last three runs, including a last start win in the Group 3 £60,000 Betfred TV Geoffrey Freer Stakes (1 mile 5 ½ furlongs) at Newbury on August 16.

While under the care of his previous trained Andreas Wohler, Seismos collected a Group 1 victory in the 2013 €150,000 Grosser Preis von Bayern (2400m) at Munich in Germany.

Gelagotis will give Mourinho another chance in weight for age company and plans to start him in the Group 1 $1m Longines Mackinnon Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on November 1

Three runs back Mourinho chased home The Cleaner when second in the Group 2 WFA $250,000 Dato’ Tan Chin Nam Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley on September 6 before running third to The Cleaner again in the  Group 3 $200,000 Alternate Railway JRA Cup (2040m) at Moonee Valley on September 26.

“We’ve tried him at weight-for-age and he went well so he deserves a chance at the Mackinnon,” the trainer’s brother and stable manager, Manny Gelagotis said.

“He is a very tough horse. He was the best horse in the race and I’m thrilled.”

Seismos is marked as $26 chance for the Caulfield Cup with Ladbrokes.com.au who have Lucia Valentina the $5 favourite ahead of the two Japanese stayers, Bande at $7.50 and Admire Rakti at $11.

Last year’s Caulfield Cup runner up Dandino is also marked as a $11 chance.

About The Author

Mark Mazzaglia

Mark is a passionate journalist with a life-time involvement in the racing industry. He spent many years as an analyst and form expert at the Courier Mail and also has hands-on experience working with some of Queensland’s top trainers.