Craig Newitt (born 1984 or 1985) is an Australian

jockey A jockey is someone who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase (horse racing), steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing. The word "jockey" originated from England and was used ...

who rides mostly in

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Queen Victoria (1819–1901), Queen of the United Kingdom and Empress of India * Victoria (state), a state of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, a provincial capital * Victoria, Seychelles, the capi ...

Biography

Newitt was born in Tasmania, the son of two jockeys. He began his career in 2000, and moved to Victoria to finish his apprenticeship with

Lee Freedman David Lee Freedman (born 12 August 1956) is an Australian thoroughbred racehorse trainer. and Hall of Fame inductee. In partnership with brothers Anthony, Michael, and Richard, he has been a prolific winner of Australia's major races in past ...

. His first

Group One Group One, Group 1, Grade I or G1 is the term used for the highest level of Thoroughbred and Standardbred stakes races in many countries. In Europe, the level of races for Thoroughbred racing is determined using the Pattern races, Pattern race sys ...

winner was Perfect Promise in the 2006

C F Orr Stakes The C F Orr Stakes is a Melbourne Racing Club Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1400 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in February. Total prize money is A$750,000. Hist ...

. As of early July 2025, he has ridden 2,408 winners, including 33 in

races. Five of his Group One wins were on

Miss Andretti Miss Andretti was the 2007 Australian Champion Racehorse of the Year and is the only Thoroughbred in racing history to simultaneously hold a total of five track records in Australia and England. In 2023, Miss Andretti was inducted into the Aust ...

between May 2006 and March 2008. He also won four Group Ones on Lankan Rupee. He continues to ride in Tasmania, where he has won a record seven Devonport Cups.

Personal life

Newitt had four sons from his first marriage, and he and his fiancee Breaana Smith raise them together, along with one son of their own.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Newitt, Craig 1980s births Living people Australian jockeys Sportsmen from Tasmania 21st-century Australian sportsmen