Time on the sidelines through injury could not separate Blake Shinn from taking out the Melbourne metropolitan premiership last month, nor did it get in the way of notching the highest number of votes to claim his fourth Scobie Breasley Medal at an awards ceremony last night.
37-year-old Shinn achieved a three-peat for the prestigious award over as many years beginning in 2023, with those medals joining his first as an apprentice jockey in 2005.
The award, which is decided similarly to the Brownlow Medal in AFL, sees the Racing Victoria stewards panel vote on a 3-2-1 basis after each metro meeting through the 2024/25 season.
He was awarded three votes on 13 occasions across the racing year.
“I came here tonight unsure what was going to because it can be quite unpredictable,” Shinn said.
“It is quite humbling to win this medal, to be honest.
Shinn acknowledged his partner Lucy Yeomans – who co-trains with Lloyd Kennewell at Cranbourne – having a calming effect on what he felt was his own intensity.
The Victorian Racehorse of the Year was awarded to Cox Plate victor Via Sistina who became the sixth Chris Waller-trained galloper to take the title.
A standout with what he has been able to achieve with tried horses, Gavin Bedggood won the Colin Alderson Rising Star award while Matt Laurie took out the Most Outstanding Training Performance award most notable with rising star filly Treasurethe Moment.
The VJA Damien Oliver Most Valuable Jockey award went to Damian Lane while the VJA Rising Star was Logan Bates.
Steve Pateman received the Tommy Corrigan Medal for the 10th time in his illustrious career. Pateman first won the award in 2007.
