Jockey Blake Shinn will have a race against time to be fit to ride Fenway in the Group 1 $1.5m Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington on Saturday after being injured at Goulburn today.
Blake Shinn has a race against time to be fit to ride Fenway, above, in the Australian Cup at Flemington. Photo by Ultimate Racing Photos.
Shinn was pinned in the barriers when he mount Eckstein played up prior to the running of the first race, resulting in the late scratching of the Kurt Goldman trained two year old.
Shinn was stood down for the remainder of the Goulburn meeting after sustaining knee and back injuries but was able to leave the course under his own steam to get treatment so as to be fit for Saturday’s Group 1 engagement.
“Blake has been assessed by the Club’s Medical Officers with Blake complaining of pain in his right knee and lower back and been stood down from his remaining riding engagements. Blake said he will make his own way home and seek further treatment if needed,” Racing NSW Steward, Troy Vassallo, reported.
Shinn is keen to be reunited with the Lee and Shannon Hope trained Fenway in the Australian Cup after she ran a mighty race to run second, with Mark Zahra in the saddle, to Bow Creek in the Group 2 $200,000 Crown Golden Ale Peter Young Stakes (1800m) at Caulfield on February 27.
Zahra will ride the David Hayes and Tom Dabernig trained outsider Extra Zero in the Australian Cup.
Shinn has had four rides on Fenway for two wins, one at Group 1 level in the 2015 $400,000 Vinery Stud Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill and also a win in the Group 2 $200,000 StrathAyr Track Stocks Stakes (1600m) at Moonee Valley during the 2015 Melbourne Spring Carnival.
Shinn is also booked to ride Detective for Peter and Paul Snowden in the Group 2 $200,000 MSS Security Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and the John Thompson trained Mossin’ Around in the Group 2 $200,000 TAB Kewney Stakes (1400m).
Fenway has been listed as an $11 chance at Ladbrokes.com.au for the weight for age Australian Cup.
The John O’Shea trained Bow Creek heads the market order at $3.10 ahead of Lee and Anthony Freedman’s German import Our Ivanhowe at $5.50 and Chirs Waller’s Preferment at $6.
Australian Cup market order at Ladbrokes.com.au: $3.10 Bow Creek, $5.50 Our Ivanhowe, $6 Preferment, $8 Suavito, $8.50 Rising Romance, $11 Fenway, $19 Awesome Rock, $21 Happy Trails, Almoonqith, $41 Extra Zero.
