Pitman (86 wins) and Awapuni-Riccarton trainer Lisa Latta (84 wins) were both winless at Oamaru yesterday, although Pitman was particularly unlucky in the final race when Snowdon was hampered at the start of the 1600m before putting in a huge run for second.
Latta's task at Rotorua is simple - win two races and share the title with Pitman, or win three and pip Pitman at the post.
She has eight runners entered at Rotorua, with Sergeant Lincoln and Lady Lincoln accepted in two races each, and - while rare - there is a chance the two gallopers may line up twice.
But Pitman can put his cue in the rack with satisfaction, in a season in which he could top the premiership without training a black-type winner.
''I'm proud of what I've done,'' Pitman said.
''I have never chased a premiership because at the end of the day, I can't send horses around for my benefit.
"Even when I beat Mark Walker, I never sent horses around for my benefit. I only had five or six in on the last day that year.
''If I get beat, I get beat - good luck to her. I've got a good team in at Riccarton this weekend and I hope I win two or three races at Riccarton.''
Pitman is back as a warm favourite in the TAB market for the trainers' premiership.
One premiership may have been decided yesterday though, as Opie Bosson steered home Magic Epic and Commmander Cody to reach 152 victories for the season.
Matthew Cameron made the first move on the day, winning with Best Fella to hit 149 season wins, but Bosson hit back in races 7 and 10 to leave Cameron with a very difficult task at Rotorua tomorrow.
Cameron has seven rides booked at Rotorua, while Bosson has six engagements for the day.
Timaru jockey Ross Doherty secured the South Island apprentice title with a win on Faites Vos Jeux in a restricted open hurdle to move to 44 wins for the season, three ahead of Ashley Frye.
