The retirement of Shoot Out on Monday has had a beneficial side effect for jockey Blake Shinn with Epsom Handicap weights to be lifted a kilogram.
Shoot Out was the topweight with 58kg, the minimum allowed, and now that he is out Shinn will be able to ride the reigning equal favorite Toydini at 54kg, subject to stewards’ approval.
The jockey raised his riding weight to 55kg after collapsing at a race meeting in January this year due to the effects of wasting but said he was confident he could get to 54kg with plenty of notice.
Toydini’s trainer Guy Walter said the stable’s preferred options were for Shinn to ride Toydini and Hugh Bowman to ride Streama who will now carry 54.5kg.
Shinn rode Streama when she won Saturday’s George Main Stakes with Bowman, who has ridden the mare to two Group One wins, aboard Shoot Out who finished last of the nine runners.
“Blake has had a long association with Toydini and we are hoping he can ride him,” Walter said.
“The horse will not race again before the Epsom.
“Streama has pulled up well from the George Main and also goes there.”
Toydini cemented his place as a leading contender for the Group One Epsom (1600m) on October 5 with victory in last week’s Cameron Handicap at Newcastle.
Shinn has been aboard the four-year-old in all his four wins.
Walter trained Toydini’s mother Johan’s Toy to run second in the 2005 Epsom and is looking forward to going one better with her son.
“He is a big strong horse and the ideal Epsom type,” he said.
“He was gelded after the spring and it has made a difference to him. His mother was a great mare and it would be nice to go one better with her son.”
Toydini is by Bernadini as is the other $5.50 equal Epsom favourite Boban, winner of Saturday’s Bill Ritchie Handicap.
Streama is on the next line of betting at $7.50.
