Star jockey Blake Shinn, who grew up in Kilmore, has claimed his second Scobie Breasley Medal at the 2023 Victorian Racing Awards on Saturday night.
After returning to Victoria following a three-year riding stint in Hong Kong, Shinn capped a stellar 2022-23 season with a runaway win in the Scobie Breasley Medal – 18 years after first claiming the coveted prize as a young apprentice jockey.
The Scobie Breasley Medal recognises the rider who has excelled above all others with votes awarded on a 3-2-1 basis by Racing Victoria stewards at each metropolitan meeting throughout the 12-month season, which concluded on July 31.
Shinn polled an 61 votes to take the prize ahead of 11-time winner Damien Oliver on 39 votes.
Rounding out the top five were Damian Lane, 36, five-time winner Craig Williams, 33, and 2021 winner Jamie Kah, 30.
It stamped a memorable season for Shinn with the 35-year-old also collecting his first Roy Higgins Medal as the winner of the Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership with 66 victories, including the Group 1 Lamaro’s Hotel Futurity Stakes aboard Alligator Blood.
Recently-retired and Cox Plate winner Anamoe comfortably took home the title of Victorian Racehorse of the Year with 115 votes secured from the voting panel comprising members of the racing media, Victoria’s racecallers, and the chief handicapper.
Rounding out the top five were Alligator Blood, 43, Gold Trip, 40, In Secret, 26, and Mr Brightside, 12.
