Leading jockey Blake Shinn will fight to preserve his reputation after copping a one-month suspension for his handling of a horse in a race at Rosehill.
Racing NSW stewards said Shinn had options he should have taken on the home turn and again in the straight aboard Thud in a 1200m race last Saturday week in which the four-year-old mare finished fourth.
Despite Thud’s trainers Peter and Paul Snowden supporting Shinn and his ride, stewards charged the jockey and handed him the one-month ban which he indicated he would appeal.
“I go out on every horse to win,” Shinn said.
“I have a reputation as one of the hardest working and competitive riders out there.
“I don’t want this to damage my reputation because I was there to win.
“Things didn’t pan out. A run came and a run closed.”
Senior trainer Peter Snowden said he had no concerns about the ride of Shinn who is the No.1 jockey at the stable and won this year’s Golden Slipper on Capitalist for the team.
“It’s just bad luck on the day,” Snowden said.
“She is a horse with a short sharp sprint.”
“She was first-up over 1200 metres rather than 1100 which we would have preferred.
“Blake is out there making a split-second decision. Blake sees it as he sees it.”
In charging Shinn with failing to take all reasonable and permissible measures to win or obtain the best possible position, chief steward Marc Van Gestel said the panel was concerned with four areas of the race beginning at the home turn where they said Shinn could have made a move outwards.
Later in the straight they said he failed to ride with sufficient purpose and persisted with a run that saw Thud being inconvenienced.
Shinn has been riding for 13 years and also has a Melbourne Cup trophy for his win aboard Viewed in 2008.
“I’ve had more than 10,000 rides and never been charged under this rule,” Shinn said.
“My record speaks for itself.”
A thorough examination of betting records revealed no suspicious patterns on the race.
