While some will always consider the Melbourne Jockeys’ Premiership should have been won by Jamie Kah, kudos for Blake Shinn for winning the title.
After Saturday’s Flemington meeting Shinn took his tally of winners to 62 and leads Kah by three winners.
There was talk of Kah coming back at the end of the season but there’s doubt whether she would get a medical clearance and then there’s a question mark of whether her latest controversy could set her back.
Shinn’s effort is meritorious on a few fronts. Firstly he didn’t return to riding in Melbourne until mid way August.
He has also had his own battles with Racing Victoria stewards and has been suspended on a few occasions including one for a whip breach and another for taking a sleeping pill.
Shinn almost won the Victorian Jockeys’ Premiership as an apprentice but finished second to fellow apprentice Nick Ryan in 2005/2006.
Shinn moved to Sydney in 2007 where he became champion jockey. He also spent three years in Hong Kong before he moved back to Melbourne.
His class was on display with a winning treble at Flemington where he rode Mnementh, Renosu and First Immortal.
Shinn is suspended again and will return for the last four meetings of the season.
