The odds of Craig Newitt becoming only the third jockey to ride 100 Tasmanian winners in a season have slipped slightly below 50-50 thanks to an untimely suspension.
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Newitt took his winning tally to 92 with a double at Spreyton last Sunday but also copped a one-meeting ban for breaching the whip rules on a beaten favourite.
He won't be riding this week and now has only four meetings left to join Brendon McCoull and Bev Buckingham on the list of Tasmanian century-makers.
It's certainly not beyond him but riding eight winners in what will probably be no more than 32 races is never an easy task.
He will need to win on 25 per cent of his mounts and that is slightly more than his overall strike-rate this season (22.3 per cent) and his career strike-rate at Spreyton (23 per cent).
Stewards suspended Newitt for using the whip seven times before the 100m mark on Blackberry Rose in last week's Maiden Plate. That was only two times over the limit but stewards said he had a poor record.
"It couldn't have come at a worse time but I'll just have to get on the right horses at the remaining meetings," Newitt said.
DECISION FRIDAY
Barry Campbell's application for a stay of proceedings on a three-year disqualification will be heard by the South Australian Appeal Board on Friday.
In the meantime, the Spreyton trainer is classified as a disqualified person and subject to the normal restrictions that apply.
However, he has been granted one concession by SA officials - until a decision is made, he is permitted to keep horses on his property.
He is allowed to "maintain their welfare" but is not allowed to train them in any way.
Under normal circumstances, Campbell would be unlikely to get a stay of proceedings in Tasmania as he pleaded guilty to one of three charges that, by itself, carried a 12-month disqualification.
However it's uncertain whether SA officials have the same policy.
Four horses previously trained by Campbell raced at Spreyton last Sunday after being transferred to Leanne Gaffney.
Another two will race this week. Teriki has also joined the Gaffney stable and Coal Hill is now with Liandra Gray.
Meanwhile, Gray's smart sprinter Liffeybeau has arrived home after an unplaced run at Flemington last Saturday.
Gray said the horse didn't mentally handle the trip or the raceday atmosphere.
"The track was meant to be good but turned into heavy, which he hated, and everything was just too much for him," she said.
