In Brief
- Quality field assembled for 2019 Origin series.
- Tasmania a $6 chance to win day one.
- Duo warmed up for series with winners Wednesday night.
Multiple-time Jockey Premiership winners Brendon McCoull and Craig Newitt line-up today in the TAB Origin jockey series, looking to defend their 2018 title.
The series will be conducted today at Doomben (races 1, 4 and 7) and Saturday at Eagle Farm (races 2 and 4) with six teams and 12 riders competing in the competition.
While the Tasmanian team is arguably as strong as could be produced, the opposition is lined with quality including multiple Group winning riders. Participating teams are:
- Tasmania – Brendon McCoull and Craig Newitt
- New South Wales – Kathy O’Hara and Michael Rodd
- Victoria – Luke Nolen and Brett Prebble
- New Zealand – Michael Dee and Samantha Collett
- Queensland – Jim Byrne and Matthew McGillivray
- South Australia – Dwayne Dunn and Jason Holder
Riders have been randomly assigned across the eligible races, and betting markets suggest the Tasmanian team will need some upset results in today’s races at Doomben to give themselves a chance tomorrow at Eagle Farm. 
Only Craig Newitt’s ride aboard the Brian Smith-trained Top Me Up Again ($4.80) in the first race of the Doomben program, is single figures in early betting of the rides assigned to Newitt and McCoull today.
Newitt and McCoull sit first and fourth on this season’s Tasmanian Jockey Premiership table and each riding winners on Wednesday night’s Launceston program, working themselves into form for the Origin series.
Visit the Racing Queensland website for more information on the TAB Origin jockey series.