Australian Cup day has been a good one for Craig Newitt in recent years and he is hoping it is again at Flemington on Saturday when he rides stablemates Heart Of Dreams in the Cup and Light Fantastic in the Newmarket Handicap.Newitt has been successful on those two Mick Price-trained horses on this day, Light Fantastic winning the Australian Guineas (1600m) in 2008 and Heart Of Dreams last year.The jockey has already won Australian Cups aboard 50-1 shot Roman Arch in 2006 for trainer Robbie Lain

Australian Cup day has been a good one for Craig Newitt in recent years and he is hoping it is again at Flemington on Saturday when he rides stablemates Heart Of Dreams in the Cup and Light Fantastic in the Newmarket Handicap.

Newitt has been successful on those two Mick Price-trained horses on this day, Light Fantastic winning the Australian Guineas (1600m) in 2008 and Heart Of Dreams last year.

The jockey has already won Australian Cups aboard 50-1 shot Roman Arch in 2006 for trainer Robbie Laing and Pompeii Ruler in 2007 for Price.

Show A Heart gelding Heart Of Dreams will be striving to become the first horse to go on from an Australian Guineas victory to win the Australian Cup.

Champion galloper Vo Rogue went closest, finishing runner-up to Military Plume in the 1987 Guineas before finishing second to 125-1 shot Dandy Andy in the memorable 1988 Cup in which the great Kiwi galloper Bonecrusher finished third after having won the previous year.

Vo Rogue went on to win the Australian Cup the following two years, beating Super Impose in 1989 and Better Loosen Up in 1990 and then finishing runner-up to the 1990 Japan Cup winner Better Loosen Up in the 1991 Australian Cup.

Since the Guineas 12 months ago, Heart Of Dreams added a second Group One win to his record in the Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield last spring.

But a query about him at 2000m remains after he finished runner-up to Whobegotyou in the Yalumba Stakes over that trip at Caulfield followed by his seventh to So You Think in the Cox Plate (2040m) at Moonee Valley.

Newitt intends to give him every chance to get the trip from barrier eight in the 16-horse field.

"The barrier will be good for him. He'll roll forward, he won't be cluttered up, he'll have a nice trouble-free run and if he runs up to his previous couple of runs he's going to be very hard to beat," he said.

Heart Of Dreams resumed with a 1-3/4 length second to outstanding mare Typhoon Tracy in the CF Orr Stakes (1400m) and followed up with a half-neck second to La Rocket in the St George Stakes (1800m), both at Caulfield.

"If he's not far off them turning for home, he'll be very hard to get past," Newitt said.

The Price stable will also saddle up Miss Maren (Damien Oliver) who was placed third in the St George after winning first-up over 1400m at Caulfield.

Newitt, who won the 2007 Newmarket on star mare Miss Andretti for trainer Lee Freedman, gives Light Fantastic some chance in the Newmarket although he said the grey drew less than ideally in barrier one in the 19-horse field.

"Hopefully they'll split and there'll be nine or 10 runners down on the inside with probably (Oakleigh Plate winner) Starspangledbanner (drawn in barrier nine) being down with us," Newitt said.

"So he should get a nice run in the race and with a bit of room and freshened up he should run well."

Heart Of Dreams is favourite for the Australian Cup at $6.50 with TAB Sportsbet ahead of reigning Melbourne Cup winner Shocking at $7.50, triple Sandown Classic winner Zipping at $8.50 and last-start Alister Clark Stakes winner Extra Zero at $11 in a very open race.