Class rose to the top in Melbourne’s final Stakes race of the 2022-23 season with Godolphin galloper Ingratiating scoring at Caulfield.
Showing considerable improvement from his first-up in the Group 3 Sir John Monash Stakes (1100m) at Caulfield a fortnight earlier, Ingratiating stamped his authority in the straight.
Ridden by Blake Shinn, Ingratiating ($4) scored by a half-length from the $3.90 favourite General Beau with It’sourtime ($4.40) a further three-quarters-of-a-length away third.
In his first season back in Australia after a successful stint in Hong Kong, the victory on Ingratiating was Shinn’s 15th Stakes winner for the season, along his fourth for Godolphin and James Cummings.
Shinn has also claimed his first Victorian Jockeys’ Premiership after a Saturday double for Godolphin having scored aboard Va Via in the Stow Storage Solutions Handicap (1400m).
“It hasn’t been an easy transition, but you work hard, graft away and try and fit in,” Shinn said.
“A lot of nice people have supported me and it’s just nice to support them by riding and winning.
“To win the Premiership is nice, but when people want to put faith in you when you come straight off the plane, it really makes you feel good.
“It was just a great win (on Ingratiating) and it’s nice to get another winner in these blue colours.
“They’ve been a great supporter since I’ve arrived back in Australia and hopefully, we can build on it into next season.”
Shinn had ridden successfully for the whole Cummings family in Melbourne and Shinn before heading to Hong Kong and has garnered plenty of support from Godolphin since his return.
Ingratiating was fitted with a tongue tie following his first-up run and Shinn could not definitely say whether the gear change had made a difference or not.
“He does play with it (his tongue) a little bit going to the start and does make a bit of a noise, so I sense why the previous jockey did recommend it,” Shinn said.
“It could have been the difference, but I’m not sure.
“He’s a beautiful brute to ride. He’s obviously a stallion but is a real pleasure to ride. There doesn’t seem any complications about him and he’s a very genuine horse.”
