Nightmare over for Shinn – back in the winners’ stall

Star jockey Blake Shinn fought back tears after victory aboard his mother’s (Carol)  horse Tellora at his second ride back from a 12 month gambling related riding suspension.

The 24-year-old Melbourne Cup winning hoop had taken only two rides for the day at Sandown Lakeside both for his step-father Lee Hope.

Shinn gave both horses Distillery and Tellora gun rides.

Distillery ($26) finished third after Shinn had it third on the fence, hitting the lead and being swamped by better horses in the Ladies in Racing Magazine 68 Handicap (1200m) .

Distillery paid $10 a place across the three totes but no such odds were bet about Tellora who was backed in from an early morning call of $10 to $6.

Shinn from barrier eight worked the mare to the lead and opened up a seven length break.

He gave the four-year-old a breather approaching the turn but kicked away in the straight to win by seven lengths.

On dismounting Shinn needed time to compose himself with the realization his personal 12 months nightmare had ended.

Last November, Shinn admitted to a gambling addiction after being caught placing a myriad of bets over a long period of time.

The one time wonder jockey was handed a seriously long suspension that placed a blight over  his career.

“It’s hard to contain the emotion especially with my family but we worked hard,” Shinn said.

“I like to come back to my step dad and family who I just love.

“You have to learn from your mistakes, it was terrible what happened but with the support of so many people behind me including my best mate Pete (Robl), I am just rapt.

“My step dad worked so hard to guide me in the right direction and we hit a bit of a hurdle but we are right back now better than ever.

“It was my mum’s horse today and there couldn’t be a better result.

“Riding is what we live for, we work hard and strive for it so I was very excited. It’s just great to be back doing what I love.

“I’m eating less and just keeping busy.

“Before I was just sitting on the couch and I was getting bored a lot and that’s what got me into my problem of gambling.

“Now I’m just keeping active, doing more things, keeping busy, not eating as much and that’s helped me with my weight and I’m happier now.”

Hope was equally pleased.

“We put the blinkers on and she has improved, we had her pretty fit,” Hope said about Tellora.

“I am really happy, he (Shinn) has worked very hard at it.

“It was hard for him the 12 months.

“He  did it to himself, he didn’t blame anyone and he has grown up a little bit, he worked pretty hard for this.”

Shinn won the 2008 Melbourne Cup for Cups king Bart Cummings aboard Viewed.

Race 7 – 5:20PM Schweppes Handicap (1600 METRES)
Of $30,000.1st $18,363, 2nd $5,650, 3rd $2,542, 4th $1,130, 5th $565, 6th $350, 7th $350, 8th $350, 9th $350, 10th $350
0 – 68, Handicap, Minimum Weight 53kg, Four-Years-Old and Upwards, Mares, Apprentices can claim.Track Condition: Good 3 Time: 1:36.44 Last 600m: 0:34.60 INTERIM RESULTSOffical Comments: No. 11 Yuka Joy will carry 57kgs.

 

Finish No. Horse Trainer Jockey Margin Bar. Weight Starting Price
1 12 TELLORA Lee & Shannon Hope Blake Shinn 8 54kg $6
2 4 LIBERTAS Greg Eurell Chris Symons 7L 4 57.5kg $10
3 5 MONTE BELLA Mick Price Thomas Sadler (a3) 7.75L 3 57.5kg (cd 54.5kg) $6.50
4 10 VISAGE DE MERE (NZ) Neil Walsh Dean Yendall 8.25L 6 55kg $21
5 11 YUKA JOY Terence Ahern Ben Knobel (a3) 8.35L 10 55kg (cd 52kg) $4F
6 3 MUMBAI MISS Brenton & Mark Primmer Jack Hill 9.35L 5 58kg (cd 56kg) $20
7 8 DARE I ASK Russell Cleland Jarrod Todd 10.1L 9 57kg $51
8 2 THE NIGHT’S HOT Darren Weir Jacob Rule (a2) 10.2L 2 59kg (cd 57kg) $13
9 9 YULE LUVIT Jason Clifford Ms Linda Meech 10.3L 1 57kg $11
10 6 CLASSIC CAMEO David Hayes Steven Arnold 10.7L 7 57kg $11
11 7 DANYME Stephen Hutchinson Craig Newitt 13.95L 11 57kg $6.50
12 1 KASANE Pat Carey Damian Lane (a1.5) 15.7L 12 59kg (cd 57.5kg) $26

 

 

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