Shinn’s spring off to a flyer

Blake Shinn got off to the flyer he wanted, if not quite in the manner he wanted, when he partnered Spanish Tides to victory in the opening race on Memsie Stakes Day at Caulfield on Saturday.

The 32-year-old, who has again settled in Melbourne after several years riding in Hong Kong and before that Sydney, got a late call-up for the ride by trainer Luke Oliver on Friday night after his booked rider Billy Egan took a heavy fall at the Pakenham races.

“Obviously, I spare a lot of thought to Billy,” Shinn said of the rider who has undergone surgery for a left arm injury. “It’s terrible what happened to him.

“He was on the cusp of having a great carnival and then something like this happens. But no doubt, he’ll bounce back.”

Shinn had not ridden a Melbourne metro winner for five years, with Luvaluva’s Group 2 Wakeful Stakes victory in 2017 his most recent in the Victorian capital. That triumph came just seven days after he rode four winners on Cox Plate Day at The Valley.

Shinn said he is hoping the Spanish Tides result can kick-start his return.

“I thought it might have been a bit slow,” he said. “I thought I’d be hitting my straps in late September, sort of building relationships but then something like this happens and a door opens and you are riding a couple of winners.”

Shinn has only had 12 rides in Victoria since his return to the Melbourne riding ranks, for three winners, but he has also made an impact with the stewards, having drawn an eight-meeting ban during the week – which begins on Sunday – for breaching the whip rules.

“There are a lot of jockeys coming through and there are a lot of new variables I’ve got to get my head around but hopefully I’ll adapt quick and kick some goals,” he said.