Reigning Scobie Breasley Medal winner Blake Shinn has retained Victorian racing’s highest individual honour on a night when the father-and-son team of Anthony and Sam Freedman were feted for their training achievements and their star stayer Without A Fight was named the Victorian Racehorse of the Year.
The 2024 Victorian Racing Awards, held in Melbourne on Saturday night with the support of Evans & Partners, culminated in Shinn – who polled 72 votes to narrowly defeat his nearest rival Damian Lane by just four votes (68) – winning the Scobie Breasley Medal for a third time. The 36-year-old first landed the coveted prize whilst he was still serving his apprenticeship back in 2005.
Despite being outpointed by Lane in the Victorian Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership, Shinn was judged to be the rider who had excelled above all others following the counting of votes, which are awarded on a 3-2-1 basis by Racing Victoria (RV) Stewards for the best ride at each metropolitan meeting throughout the 12-month season.
The Scobie Breasley Medal top five was rounded out by Daniel Stackhouse (31 votes), Harry Coffey (27) and dual Victorian Apprentices’ Premiership winner Celine Gaudray who amassed 24 votes to claim fifth place on a countback from Billy Egan and Jye McNeil.
In an intriguing battle Lane led his rival 40 votes to 26 at the halfway point of the season, before Shinn powered home through the second half to claim victory. It was a cluttered affair behind the runaway duo with just five votes separating the 10 riders placed from fifth to 14th.