An emotional Shane Scriven fought back tears after combining with his favourite horse Scenic Shot to land their second Group One Doomben Cup on Saturday.
Scriven, 45, is at the crossroads of his career and won’t know if he’ll be able to continue riding until his appeal against a five month suspension over his infamous whip stealing incident at Ipswich is heard by the Queensland Council and Administrative Tribunal on Monday.
The jockey has battled with his weight throughout his career and fears a lengthy ban will make it too hard to come back.
Scriven produced a daring display on the rising nine-year-old who grabbed a rails run when leader Glass Harmonium drifted from the fence.
Scenic Shot made the most of the inside edge and went up strongly to challenge and hold on to his advantage to down My Kingdom Of Fife by a long head in the 2020m feature.
Glass Harmonium who was set alight by Hugh Bowman to lead in the back straight held on for third, a further half neck away.
“I didn’t think about the appeal. I had a job to do today and I’ll worry about the appeal tomorrow,” Scriven said.
Scriven, who won the 2009 Doomben Cup on Scenic Shot, revealed the gelding had to overcome a scare before giving him his sixth Group One win.
“He was 95 per cent right when he ran third in the Hollindale but we had an ace up our sleeve,” he said.
“He had a scare going into the Hollindale but we worked on him and things turned out well.
“He’s such a tough animal and he delivered today. This is why I am a jockey and I love these moments.”
Scenic Shot’s trainer Dan Morton said he felt Scriven’s punishment was too harsh and pleaded for the appeal body to be lenient on Scriven.
“I just hope they fine him,” Morton said.
Morton was stunned when the opening for Scenic Shot arrived at the top of the straight.
“He’s an eight-year-old and any win nowadays is a bonus,” Morton said.
“I couldn’t believe it when the run presented itself and my only worry was Shane couldn’t see the outside horse coming.”
Morton now plans to follow a similar path with Scenic Shot as in past years and will aim him at the Group Two Eagle Farm Cup (2400m) on June 4 before the Group Two Brisbane Cup (2400m) on June 11.
Stewards grilled Bowman immediately following the Doomben Cup about his daring mid-race tactics.
“I didn’t know I had that big a lead,” Bowman told stewards.
“I didn’t know how quick he was going. I just wanted to get him into his rhythm.”
Trainer Chris Waller offered no excuses for My Kingdom Of Fife’s first defeat in the southern hemisphere.
“It was a good run and he’ll go for a break now and get ready for the spring,” Waller said.
“He’s a real live chance in the spring races.”
AAP TURF
