Blake Shinn has never been busier in his 20-year career in the saddle. Having become the first Australian jockey to reach 100 winners this season, he tells Matt Stewart that he has no plans to slow down.
As Blake Shinn is chatting about being one of Australia’s top jockeys, departure and arrival notifications dot the background of the phone call.
It reminded me of a tweet I saw recently. It featured a photo of a bedraggled old man on a London suburban train. Queries of “who is it?” led to rapid responses from rock fans who knew exactly who Roger Waters was.
“That’s the lead singer of Pink Floyd, man!” was one.
There are certain people you don’t associate with public transport, least of all on the 10.32 from Southern Cross, bound for Seymour.
But there was Shinn, the most successful winning rider in Australia this season, gazing out the window, big bag of saddles by his side, five rides from eight races, the job for the day.
In some ways, it summed up Shinn perfectly. He is a humble and introverted career jockey who doesn’t regard himself as a superstar too hoity toity for public transport; a tradesman.
It’s not the first time Shinn has caught the train to work. But he also sometimes takes a helicopter; a tradie who won’t say no to a short-cut or a spoil. His mounts have won $10 million so far this season, so he can afford it.
“Yeah train today, chopper to Bendigo last Sunday,” Shinn said. “I just go with the flow. I don’t mind just looking out the window for a bit.”
One hour and 17 minutes on the Seymour train provided Shinn with a little respite from the challenging routine he has set himself. Time to take in the scenery and reflect.
His career has been one of structure and hard slog since he emerged from Kilmore, not far from Seymour, 37 years ago. There is an almost robotic rhythm to Shinn, his work ethic and the way he explains it.
He thinks about every question and pauses before answering it, just as he thinks hard about every single ride – country or Group 1 – and often shares his thoughts on social media. He posts his rides and then his reflections.
He is a deep thinker, shy by nature but extremely expansive in his post-race debriefs on Seven, Sky and Racing.com.
This season, Shinn has ridden in 494 races, which puts him near the top of the most-rides list. Barely a day goes by when Shinn does not appear in the formguide.
Last year he rode at Swan Hill the day before a Group 1 meet at Flemington. Up and back, that’s a 680km drive, or trip by train.
As of Wednesday, Shinn had chalked up 100 wins (99 of them in Australia), 75 seconds and 65 thirds at a strike rate of 20.2 per cent for season 2024/25. In comparison, James McDonald has 95 winners - 70 in Australia, 22 in Hong Kong and three in the UAE
There is always room for improvement. Shinn has one Group 1 win from 21 rides this season, a memorable sweeping success aboard Antino in the Toorak. There was also a narrow second on Bellatrix Star in the Coolmore Stud Stakes, plus placings in two other Group 1s.
Blake Shinn winning the 2024 Golden Slipper on Lady Of Camelot. (Vision: YouTube)
“Yeah, there’s been quite a lot of seconds. If I could turn that around it would be nice but I just keep rolling with the punches,” he said.
That one Group 1 win went with three more in the first half of 2024.
“We did win four for the year, and one of them was the Golden Slipper (Lady Of Camelot) and some good seconds on Ceolwulf in the Randwick and Rosehill Guineas,” he said.
“It’s funny, some of the defeats were my best rides. It’s quite interesting really. You can ride the absolutely best race and run second. I fondly remember Humidor a few years ago.”
BLAKE SHINN, WHAT A RIDE! 😱
— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 12, 2024
ANTINO LOOPS THE FIELD AND DESTROYS THEM IN THE TOORAK! @blake_shinn @tonygollan pic.twitter.com/ihAlzKrkSj
Humidor ran a close second to Winx in the 2017 Cox Plate. Shinn forged a magic pathway on the gelding, weaving through gaps and presenting as a real threat to the great mare at the 100m, before Winx edged clear.
“It was a great ride but he didn’t win and we all know what winning is what it’s all about,” he said.
“It does get frustrating, even Hong Kong last Sunday.”
Shinn rode $12 chance Divano in the prestigious Hong Kong Classic Mile, a race he won on Excellent Proposal four years ago. The horse flashed home from bear-last for a narrow second.
There is a method in Shinn’s madness of riding more often than many believe he needs to.
Some reckon the top riders should rein themselves in and give the battlers more of a go at the provincials, and in controversial unpaid jumpouts. Others point to the wagering boost of jockeys like Shinn provide arriving at minor meets like Seymour on Wednesday, fresh off the train.
Shinn says there’s only one, maybe two, who are entitled to a view.
“People say, 'oh you’re working too hard, you don’t need to be going to these meetings',” he said.
“It’s quite interesting. People criticise you for not working hard enough and getting lazy, that you’re winning big races but you won’t put in, then the flip side when they say you’re working too hard.
“The only one who really knows is me, me and my manager, Liam (Prior). We’ve got a good handle on it.”
It’s a simple philosophy: supply and demand.
“For me it just comes down to demand for rides,” he said. “People run their businesses differently. This is the way I run mine.
“The way I see it, most owners and trainers have more lesser horses than good horses. It’s about servicing these relationships by riding the not-so-good horses, no matter where, and you’re able to get them to win, this leads to their better horses.
“That’s always been my philosophy. Just find a balance. Sometimes you just have to say 'no'.”
Shinn’s four Group 1 victories of the past 12 months reinforced his reputation as a truly exciting, captivating and confident jockey. Greats now seem consigned to second-best behind the mercurial James McDonald. Shinn is one of few capable of out-riding, out-thinking J Mac.
That fine line between a great beaten ride and a winning one was illustrated by Lady Of Camelot’s Golden Slipper win. It was a last-stride dive.
Bois D’Argent was an act of thievery in the Doomben Cup. Few rivals thought too much of the $26 chance who was idling along under Shinn up in front.
At that same winter carnival, Warmonger’s Queensland Derby win was pure theatre; a Frankel-like 10.5-length romp.
The most electrifying sight of the year was Shinn exploding around a sleepy field on Antino in the Toorak Handicap.
Shinn has ridden in over 14,000 races in a career of over 2000 winners.
“The thrill never changes. It’s the same now as any time before,” he said. “If anything, I love it even more.”
Shinn’s mini-Group 1 drought could be about to end.
“For me it just comes down to demand for rides. People run their businesses differently. This is the way I run mine" - Blake Shinn on his workload
He rides I Am Me For Ciaron Maher in Saturday’s Black Caviar Lightning and impressive prelude winner Field Of Play in next Saturday’s Blue Diamond Stakes. He will ride Estriella in the Oakleigh Plate, heads to New Zealand on March 8 to ride Damask Rose in a new NZB Kiwi slot race and partners star miler Galaxy Patch in a major Group 1 in Hong Kong on March 23.
Shinn will continue to post his rides and impressions on social media, admitting it provides an avenue for “the haters”, who are few and far between.
“Yeah, they are out there but I’m just trying to give a bit back,” he said.
“They just want winners, not excuses, but I’m pretty happy with the way things are going. You can’t win on all of them.”
