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The horses Blake Shinn is most excited about this spring
Andrew Slevison • August 8th, 2025 4:35 pm
Star jockey Blake Shinn had a 2024/25 season to remember by taking out the Victorian jockeys’ premiership.
But there is very little downtime in the racing industry and he’s straight back into it as the lucrative spring rapidly approaches.
Shinn cannot wait to see how the Tony Gollan-trained Antino returns after a strong Queensland carnival in May which included a last-start Group 1 Doomben Cup triumph.
He believes this is the season that the Toorak Handicap winner takes the next step and makes a name for himself against the nation’s best weight-for-age horses.
“He took all before him in Queensland. He probably has to improve a length or two to match it with Via Sistina,” Shinn said on SENTrack’s Giddy Up.
“He’s on an upward trajectory. He’s at an age where he has toughened right up after a few seasons racing against seasoned horses like Mr Brightside.
“So he could be ready to match it with horses like Via Sistina and Mr Brightside. I think this is going to be his best season and let’s hope he can take out one of the majors it would be pretty special.”
Shinn and Antino have partnered on nine occasions for four wins (two G1s) and four placings.
Another horse Shinn has had a strong association with is Lindsay Park’s Evaporate.
He returns as a four-year-old after a promising three-year-old season which included a last-start win in the Group 3 Carbine Club Stakes at Randwick in April.
“One horse I’m really excited about is Evaporate,” Shinn added.
“He did a great job as a three-year-old, he ran fourth in a Futurity at weight-for-age then went to the New Zealand and ran second in the The Kiwi.
“I think he can make the transition from a three-year-old into four at weight-for-age level. He’s a real brute of a horse, mentally he’s really tough and he’s come back enormous.
“I guess the team is going to set him on a Golden Eagle path. But he’s going to run first-up in the PB Lawrence and I’m really excited about what that horse can do.”
Shinn is confident that if Evaporate - a five-time winner from 14 career starts - can work it all out then he could become a force to be reckoned with.
“He’s a bit quirky in the head and he’s still got a bit of developing to do to get his ring craft right,” he said of the Per Incanto gelding.
“If he can execute his races an do everything properly I think that can take him to another level.
“Looking forward to seeing what he can do in the PB Lawrence, that’s obviously a Group 2 weight-for-age race against horses like Pinstriped and others.
“It’ll be a solid race and we’ll see where he’s at.”
Shinn has six rides at The Valley on Saturday including three favourites - Hovland, Oak Hill and Stoli Bolli.
