Blake Shinn suspension forces Tony Gollan to find new jockey for Antino in Group 1 Champions Mile
Blake Shinn copped a suspension on Bendigo Cup day and which has forced trainer Tony Gollan to seek out a new rider for Toorak Handicap winner Antino.
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Mark Zahra will ride Toorak Handicap winner Antino in the Group 1 Champions Mile after Blake Shinn was slapped with a 14-meeting suspension by stewards at Bendigo on Wednesday.
Champion trainer Tony Gollan was forced into the change early on Thursday morning for his star galloper after Shinn was on the receiving end of a careless riding charge for his ride on Anilla on Wednesday.
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In a sliding doors moment, Zahra finally gets his chance on the Queenslander, after being booked to ride him in the Queensland winter, however was unable to after getting suspended himself during the Adelaide carnival.
Vlad Duric went on to win on him in the Group 2 Victory Stakes, before being a beaten favourite in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap.
Shinn’s suspension will begin after Oaks Day next week, ruling him out of the lucrative Champions Day on the last day of the Flemington carnival.
The champion jockey has formed a strong association with Antino and pulled off one of the rides of the year on the horse in the Group 1 Toorak Handicap earlier this month in what was a demolition job.
Antino is rated a $6 chance in the $3m feature on November 9, behind Mr Brightside ($3.50) and Fangirl ($4.50).
Shinn however is assured of the ride in the Group 1 Hong Kong Mile a month later, should connections go through with their plan to run Antino abroad in December.
It would be Gollan’s first international runner, with the horse having the required inoculations to make the trip overseas.
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Originally published as Blake Shinn suspension forces Tony Gollan to find new jockey for Antino in Group 1 Champions Mile
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