In-form jockey Blake Shinn is the jock to follow again this week at Randwick after riding a treble at headquarters last Saturday.
Blake Shinn is the jockey to follow at Randwick on Saturday. Photo by Daniel Costello.
Shinn was in dynamic form last Saturday with a winning treble, two for Sydney’s premier trainer Chirs Waller and one for the training team of Michael, Wayne and John Hawkes.
The Melbourne Cup winning jockey scored on Kaepernick for Team Hawkes in the $85,000 Drummond Golf Handicap (1150m) while his double for Waller was aboard the popular mare She’s Clean in the $85,000 TAB Place Multi Handicap (1400m) and Diametric who gained the race on protest over stablemate The Alfonso in the $85,000 Declaration Of War @ Coolmore Plate (1600m).
The Alfonso was sent out the short priced favourite but after causing interference in the straight stewards had no option but to reverse the placings of the Waller trained gallopers.
Shinn will also team up with Waller again this Saturday and has three rides for the leading trainer, Gigolo in the$85,000 Hyland Race Colours Plate (1100m) for the two year olds, Secessio in the $85,000 TAB Rewards Mile (1600m) and Berrimilla in the $85,000 Ranvet Handicap (1400m).
First starter Gigolo has trialled twice at Rosehill for two seconds, once in September and one recently on January 6 with Shinn aboard both times and he is excited about the chances of the Bernardini colt making his race debut.
“I’m really looking forward to riding the two-year-old, Gigolo,” Shinn told The Daily Telegraph.
“He’s a natural runner, very precocious and an athlete.”
Shinn is also looking forward to riding smart mare Marianne who will be having her first start for Peter and Paul Snowden after previously being prepared by Cranbourne trainer Mick Kent.
“Marianne showed a lot of class as a three-year-old and is now having her first start for the Snowdens,” Shinn said.
“She gets into this race very well, has drawn well and trialled well. Her and Gigolo are my best rides this Saturday.”
Marianne has very strong three year old form with a win at Listed level plus three seconds at Group 2 level and a Group 3 third placing to her credit but hasn’t been to the races since finishing tenth to Lucia Valentina in the Group 1 $400,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on April 5 last year.
The Darci Brahma mare raced consistently during the 2014 Autumn Carnivals and was runner-up on three occasions in the Group 3 $135,000 Kevin Hayes Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield, in the Group 2 $220,000 Polytrack Angus Armanasco Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield and the Group 2 $220,000 TAB Kewney Stakes (1400m) at Flemington.
Marianne was then rewarded with a win in the Listed $120,000 Schweppes Alexandra Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley before finishing tenth in the Vinery Stud Stakes.
Shinn will also be aboard two Anthony Cummings trained gallopers, Surge Ahead in the $85,000 Cellabrations Handicap (2000m) and Brettan in the $85,000 James Boag’s Premium Handicap (1600m).
