A careless riding suspension for his ride on Light Fantastic in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington has cost Craig Newitt the mount on Bel Mer in next Saturday's Group One Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley.

Racing Victoria stewards, chaired by Terry Bailey, found Newitt guilty in that from the 1500m to approaching the 1200m of the Group Two 1600m feature he made two attempts to force Zarita in off her rightful running.

Zarita, ridden by Greg Childs, was trailing Weekend Hussler one off the rail, planting Light Fantastic three-deep.

But Bailey told Newitt that Childs was entitled to hold what was his rightful running.

"That style of riding we can't condone," Bailey told Newitt who was outed for 12-meetings from midnight tonight and will return to race riding at Geelong on Friday week.

"You see this kind of thing every day. It's nothing more than competitive riding," Newitt told stewards.

"It was just jostling for position. Zarita didn't lose any ground."

While Newitt will miss the chance to ride last-start Caulfield Listed 1100m winner Bel Mer for the Mick Price stable in the Manikato (1200m), he is free to ride one of the Price pair, Light Fantastic or Pompeii Ruler, in the Group One Underwood Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield in two weeks.

"Any penalty is going to be crucial," said Newitt who two years ago won the Manikato on Miss Andretti.

Bailey told Newitt that the careless riding was in the mid-range but the jockey was not eligible for a discount as he had already been suspended three times in the last seven months.