Melbourne Cup winning jockey Blake Shinn’s return to Australia is imminent.
Shinn has spent the last three years in Hong Kong, a racing precinct in which he has always wanted to have an extended stay, and he was never disappointed with the racing side of things.
“I love the racing side of Hong Kong. The competition is fierce. It is very competitive, and it is great riding against the best in the world and testing yourself,” Shinn told racing.com.
But, over time, the on-going very strict Covid restrictions that the Club imposed on jockeys (which were obviously put in place for good reason) understandably began to take it toil.
“Honestly, that was the main reason I decided to come home to Australia,” admitted Shinn. “With those restrictions it got to a point where I had just had enough. Not that I was at breaking point, but I’m thirty-four years of age … and we have only got one life. It’s not a barrier trial and there are plenty of other places elsewhere I can ride and enjoy life.”
So back to Australia it is for Shinn, although he has not completely ruled out a return to Hong Kong sometime in the future if the situation changes there.
But he has not taken a direct flight home. Instead, after getting an offer to ride in the Singapore Derby, he decided to ride there for a month.
“For me it was a choice to have a nice freshen up … to ride once a week and to enjoy some good weather,” explained Shinn. “This (Singapore) was a nice place for me to have some downtime, to have a refresher and to build back into the Spring Carnival … and hopefully the winter weather has gone by then.”
Shinn could have another big feature race win behind his name before he jets back to Australia as he has a ride in the Group 1 Lion City Cup in Singapore on Sunday aboard King Arthur for trainer Donna Logan.
“I leave straight after the races on Sunday,” explained Shinn. “I’ll go to Sydney. I’ll see some friends there, then I’ll fly to Melbourne next Thursday. I’ll be at Flemington jump-outs on Friday and I’ll kick off at The Valley on Saturday (August 20 – McKenzie Stakes day).
“Hopefully the opportunities will come, and I can make the most of them.”