Luke Nolen could find himself in the Group 1 winner's stall at Doomben on Saturday, but the star jockey may be in unfamiliar territory back home in Victoria.
Craig Newitt is poised to assume Nolen's place at the head of the Victorian Metropolitan Jockey's Premiership, a position Nolen has held almost exclusively for the past three racing seasons.
Craig Newitt and Samaready winning the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in February, picture Quentin Lang, quentinjlang.com
But the reigning Scobie Breasley medallist was yesterday joined at the head of the table by Craig Newitt after he rode a double at Sportingbet Park (Sandown) and Newitt has a strong book of rides at this Saturday's Flemington card.
While Newitt is trying to add to his 56 metropolitan winners this season at Flemington, Nolen will be in Brisbane to ride Manighar in the $500,000 Group 1 Doomben Cup.
Newitt has rides in seven of the eight races, including the favourite in one of the day's Listed features.
Mick Price-trained rising sprint star Stratcombe will be his ride in the $100,000 Listed The Straight Six (1200m).
The four-year-old is backing up after a dominant win at Caulfield last Saturday and the $3.20 top line in TAB Sportsbet's fixed odds market.
Stratcombe is one of two rides that Newitt has for his main supporter, Price. He will also partner highly-rated Exceed And Excel debutante Eximus, a $5.50 chance, in the Trevor Clarke Handicap (1000m), which kicks off the program at midday.
Newitt is also on one of the leading chances in the day's main event, the $150,000 Andrew Ramsden Stakes, with the star lightweight to ride the Pat Carey-prepared Dame Claire.
She is the only last-start Saturday city winner in the 3200m event, having scored an all-the-way win over 2800m at Flemington on 5 May, but is a $7.50 chance in the market headed by the Mike Moroney-trained Maythehorsebemagic ($3.20).
Newitt's other key winning chance is the Shea Eden-trained Flyingconi, who is an $11 chance in an open second heat of the TROA/Luxbet Winter Championship (Race 7).
The Lee and Shannon Hope-prepared Parishon ($81, Race 3), Brett Cavanough's London Stripe ($26, Race 4) and Princess Fontaine ($51, Race 8), a stablemate to Flyingconi, are Newitt's other rides on the Flemington card.