Notable hoop Craig Newitt has been confirmed to take the ride on leading sprinter Lord Of The Sky in Saturday’s Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, and is confident the horse’s class will count for a lot in the season’s final black type race.

Lord Of The Sky has been partnered by Damien Oliver through much of his 2015 campaign so far, but the champion hoop has elected to take the ride on classy three-year-old Petrology in the Bletchingly Stakes, leading to trainer Robbie Laing to approach Newitt.

Newitt is understandably thrilled to have picked up the Bletchingly Stakes 2015 ride on the Danerich entire and is confident he can help the rising five-year-old to return to the winner’s circle for the first time in more than a year.

“He’s the class animal of the field and I only picked up the ride late on Tuesday night and I was pleasantly surprised,” Newitt told AAP.

“I knew on Tuesday morning that Damien wasn’t riding him so I sent Robbie Laing a message to see whether he had a rider or not. He got back to me last night saying I could ride him.

“It’s a good pick up.

“Robbie has always had a big opinion of him but it wasn’t until late in his last preparation that he started to show that, mixing it with some of the best sprinters around.

“He’s only got to take that form to the races on Saturday and he would be too good, I would think.”

Lord Of The Sky stamped his claims as one to watch from his debut appearance on course partway through 2013; posting an impressive five wins and as many minors through only nineteen competitive starts.

Finishing second in each of the Listed Christmas Stakes (1200m) and Group 3 Standish Handicap (1200m) over summer, Lord Of The Sky was unable to make anything of an impact when eleventh in the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m) on February 28^th but responded well in placing fourth in the Group 1 Newmarket Handicap (1200m) and an agonizingly-close second to Chautauqua in the Group 1 TJ Smith Stakes (1200m) on Day 1 on The Championships.

Having since finished a close second in the Group 1 The Goodwood (1200m) before a hapless performance for seventh in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) three weeks ago, Lord Of The Sky is currently available at a quote of $2.80 in 2015 Bletchingly Stakes betting markets with Ladbrokes.com.au.