$5,000,000 Worth Jockey Signs Off 2023 With His Second Scobie Breasley Medal Alongside Anamoe

The annual equestrian awards were presented recently to the riders who excelled in the sport throughout the year. These annual awards also included the prestigious Scobie Breasley Medal, which is awarded to jockeys who performed exceptionally well this year on the Melbourne race courses. The medal is given in memory of Scobie Breasley, the winner of the Caufield Cup in Melbourne five times. He was also the first individual to be inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame.

The issuance of these medals started in 1996 and was then presented by Racing Victoria Limited. The first ever jockey to win this medal was Damien Oliver; he also holds the record of winning the medal 14 (most) times. As per the rituals, this esteemed medal was also presented this year to a jockey who claimed it for the second time. This medal will be extra special this time as he is making his return to the Australian racetrack after a while.

The eminent equestrian award

As reported by the Victoria Racing Club, Blake Shinn, the 35-year-old Victorian jockey, won the medal for the second time in his career. Shinn was making his comeback to Victoria after a three-year equestrian run in Hong Kong. He had a fantastic 2022–23 season, and henceforth he claimed the medal with a clear victory. This medal is presented by Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards, and the criteria to present the medal are based on a 3-2-1 voting system.

This voting system is held at every metropolitan meeting throughout the equestrian season, and it ended on July 31, 2023. Shinn secured 61 votes during the meeting, leaving behind the likes of Damien Oliver, who got 39 votes; Damian Lane, 36 votes; Craig Williams, 33 votes; and Jamie Kah, who also clinched the medal in 2021. Shinn won the medal for the second time after 18 years and was initially awarded the medal in 2005 as the young apprentice jockey. Shinn had a fantastic season, and this wasn’t the sole accolade that he was awarded with.

An unforgettable award night

This $5 million worth jockey was also awarded the Roy Higgins Medal for securing the Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership with 66 wins. This was also his first medal, and he also won the Group I Futurity Stakes with his partner, Alligator Blood. Apart from Shinn, several other jockeys and horses were awarded various accolades. Anamoe was crowned the Victorian Racehorse of the Year, and Daniel Stackhouse clinched the Victorian Jockeys’ Premiership title with 127 wins. The Metropolitan Apprentices’ Premiership was awarded to Carleen Hefel with 38 wins; he also won the Victorian Apprentices’ Premiership with 85 wins.

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The VJA Most Valuable Jockey was also won by Daniel Stackhouse, and the Metropolitan Trainers’ Premiership was awarded to Ciaron Maher and David Eustace with 97 wins. Ciaron Maher and David Eustace also won the Victorian Trainers’ Premiership with 266 wins. All in all, it was a memorable night for the horses and the jockeys and a historic show for equestrian fans.

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