Champion jockey Blake Shinn pips Damian Lane to snare third Scobie Breasley Medal

Blake Shinn powered home to win the Scobie Breasley Medal in a close finish, plus find out who was crowned Victorian Horse of the Year.

Blake Shinn has claimed a third Scobie Breasley Medal. Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Reigning Scobie Breasley Medal winner Blake Shinn has edged out premiership rider Damian Lane to retain Victorian racing’s highest individual honour.

Shinn, 36, now a three-time Scobie winner after initial success as an apprentice in 2005, on Saturday night polled 72 votes – four more than Lane (68).

Jockeys Daniel Stackhouse (31), Harry Coffey (27) and Celine Gaudray (24) rounded out the top five.

Lane led 40 votes to 26 at the halfway point of the season before Shinn powered home to claim victory.

The quality and depth of Victorian jockey ranks were highlighted with only five votes separating fifth to 14th on the Scobie leaderboard.

Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double winner Without A Fight was named Victorian Racehorse of the Year from Imperatriz and Pride Of Jenni.

Without A Fight polled 66 votes from Imperatriz (60) and Pride Of Jenni (41).

Cups winners Anthony and Sam Freedman were feted for the Most Outstanding Training Performance (Without A Fight), while Sam also received the Colin Alderson Rising Star Award (best trainer under 40).

Melbourne Cup and Caulfield Cup champ winner Without A Fight was named Victorian Horse of the Year. Picture: Vince Caligiuri/Getty Images

Lane was named the Victorian Jockey’s Association’s Damien Oliver Most Valuable Jockey.

The coveted and peer-voted award has been renamed in honour of Oliver, an 11-time Scobie winner, who retired last season.

Lane also collected his Roy Higgins Medal for winning the metropolitan jockeys’ premiership, as well as the overall Victorian title.

Apprentice jockey Jaylah Kennedy’s breakout season was recognised with the peer-voted VJA Rising Star award.

Aaron Kuru retained the Tommy Corrigan Medal as Victoria’s leading jumps jockey.

Ciaron Maher added to his collection of Fred Hoysted Medals for winning a fifth straight Victorian trainer’s premiership and fourth consecutive metro title.

Originally published as Champion jockey Blake Shinn pips Damian Lane to snare third Scobie Breasley Medal