Blake Shinn says High Octane is ‘ready to go’ in Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield

Champion jockey Blake Shinn could have a better idea of his Blue Diamond ride when he partners debut winner High Octane in the Prelude on Saturday.

High Octane won the Blue Diamond Preview for colts and geldings on debut at Caulfield last month when ridden by Mark Zahra. Picture: Brett Holburt/Racing Photos via Getty Images

Champion jockey Blake Shinn expects High Octane to stamp his Blue Diamond credentials on Saturday.

Shinn was taken by the Peter and Paul Snowden two-year-old Deep Field colt, who won the Blue Diamond Preview on debut, in a track gallop at Flemington last Tuesday.

“He’s got a lot of ability, showed that in his trial leading up to the debut win, trained by Snowdens, one of the best around and they know what it takes to win a Blue Diamond,” Shinn said.

“This horse might have what it takes … he worked terrific (last Tuesday), he’s ready to go.”

Shinn has yet to commit to a ride for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes on February 24 but Saturday’s result should advance the situation.

High Octane is a $2.60 favourite with TAB for the Prelude – colts and geldings division – from stablemate Bodyguard ($3.10) and Phillip Stokes-trained Stay Focused.

Best backed High Octane (34 per cent) and Bodyguard (25 per cent) account for 59 per cent of all wagers with TAB.

Holmes A Court, the third Snowden galloper in the field, is rated a $15 chance.

2YO colt High Octane (Deep Field x Granny Red Shoes) leads Holmes A Court (Capitalist x Menagerie) home to give @SnowdenRacing1 and the @NewgateFarm Colt Syndicate a quinella in the Listed Blue Diamond Preview @MelbRacingClub Caulfied 👏 Two very exciting colts, we're thrilled to… pic.twitter.com/GzfZFD5tuE

— Silverdale Farm (@silverdale_farm) January 26, 2024

The colts and geldings Prelude has produced five Blue Diamond winners from 36 starters, all-conquering Snowden two-year-old champion Sepoy (2011) the most recent.

Shinn marvelled the Snowden trademark management and education of their two-year-olds.

“They just know how to prep two-year-olds, we won the Slipper with Capitalist, they have won the Diamond with Sepoy, (Earthquake) and Pride Of Dubai,” Shinn said.

“I’ve worked with them for a number of years and it’s a pleasure to work with them with this horse, I’m sure he’s going to run great.

“It’s their business model, if they’re not competing in these races I guess they’d be disappointed … their model is to be in the Slipper and the Diamond and they do it year in, year out.”

Shinn has a 21 per cent winning strike rate with the father-son training combination, including the 2016 Golden Slipper on Capitalist.

Shinn has eight rides on Saturday at Caulfield including Nick Ryan-trained Munhamek in the Group 1 CF Orr Stakes and Kuroyanagi in the Blue Diamond Prelude Fillies.

Munhamek aboard Munhamek before his win in The Damien Oliver last November. Picture: George Sal/Racing Photos via Getty Images

“It’s obviously his toughest test, weight-for-age Group 1 against some of the best horses in the land, but he’s going really good and might’ve gone to another level from WA,” Shinn said.

“He spent a bit of time over there … he’s got residual fitness, the horse is in wonderful order.

“He worked (Tuesday) morning, he was bucking his brands off coming off the track, look, this is his chance to potentially run the race of his life against some of these better credentialed horses.”

The Orr could play to Munhamek’s strength with frontrunners Buffalo River and Pride Of Jenni likely to set up a “battle of stamina”.

“This is going to be a sustained gallop the whole way, we got Buffalo River there, it will be a battle of stamina the whole way,” Shinn said.

“I suspect we’re going to be out the back and if it’s a matter of last man standing hopefully Munhamek is overhauling them late.”

Munhamek won the Group 3 Gold Rush in Perth last December, slicing through the field miraculously to hand legend Damien Oliver a famous victory in his last ever ride.

Shinn almost completed an equally daring ride three starts back on Munhamek in the Group 2 The Damien Oliver (Linlithgow Stakes) last November at Flemington.

Originally published as Blake Shinn says High Octane is ‘ready to go’ in Blue Diamond Prelude at Caulfield