Tasmanian-born jockey Craig ‘Froggy’ Newitt has never been far away from the big race action, amassing 33 Group 1 triumphs in a career which began at the start of the millennium.

After a whirlwind start to his career in Tasmania, Newitt had his indentures moved to Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman on the mainland and it wasn’t long before he landed his maiden Group 1 win at his new home track Caulfield, in the 2006 C.F. Orr Stakes aboard Perfect Promise.

There was no looking back for Newitt. In the same year he began his association with champion sprinting mare Miss Andretti, the pair combining for five Group 1 victories including the Lightning Stakes and Newmarket at Flemington, culminating with a win on the international stage in the Kings Stand at Royal Ascot.

Throughout his career, Newitt has never been far away from Caulfield and has had a wonderful association with Mick Price headlined by two Blue Diamond Stakes wins with Samaready and Extreme Choice. The latter horse provided his most recent Group 1 win in the 2016 Moir Stakes, while he and Price also combined for four Group 1 successes with the popular Lankan Rupee.

Following a stint back in his homeland, Newitt is back in Melbourne and riding work at Caulfield for the likes of Mick Price and Michael Kent (Jnr) and it hasn’t taken long for him to get his tail up, combining recently to win the Group 3 H.D.F. McNeil Stakes on Immortal Love.

Newitt is in the zone and will be a jockey to watch as the Stella Artois Caulfield Cup Carnival looms large.