Blake Shinn extends lead over Craig Williams in Melbourne jockeys' premiership at Sandown
Champion jockey Blake Shinn all but sealed the Melbourne premiership with a double at Sandown.
Shinn improved to a seven-win buffer on Craig Williams with victories aboard Cinematic Star and Betwitchery on Wednesday.
'It was a good to ride a double,' Shinn said.
'Definitely not out of the woods yet.
'We'll get over Saturday and see where we sit but seven is a nice buffer to have into Saturday.
'We've got the utmost respect for Craig and the jockey he is … we've both got strong books.'
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Shinn and Williams boast full books of nine evenly-matched rides apiece on Saturday at Caulfield.
The metropolitan season rounds out at Sandown next Wednesday with an eight-race card.
Shinn missed a potential third winner on Wednesday, elected to ride eventual third-placed Shinjina for Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman instead of Tiz Worthy, co-trained by partner Lucy Yeomans.
'I did offer him the ride on my horse and he didn't want it!' Yeomans laughed.
'They're working very hard, him and his manager (Liam Prior), it's good for the sport.'
Williams, a nine-time premiership winner, was denied by the barest margin in the first at Sandown.
Four scratchings on the card blunted any potential Williams charge on Wednesday.
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Shinn missed six weeks with a foot injury but returned two weeks ago to defend the premiership – his second Melbourne title potentially in three seasons and third overall.
The Melbourne Cup-winning jockey also won the Sydney metropolitan title in 2007/08.
Shinn nailed the brief on Ciaron Maher-trained Cinematic Star on Wednesday, stalked the speed and scraped the rail to win without going around a horse.
'Good to see Blake get the win,' assistant trainer Jack Turnbull said.
'Push the boat out a bit further on Craig.'
Shinn dictated the 1400m Fillies Benchmark 64 aboard Betwitchery and survived a late charge and lunge from Chocolate Box on the post.
The result vindicated Shinn, who lobbied hard trainers Leon and Troy Corstens and Will Larkin for the ride and race placement.
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'Well done to my agent Liam Prior, thanks to Troy and Will and Leon for entrusting us,' Shinn said.
'It's nice when a plan comes together … (Corstens-Larkin) been one of my biggest supporters when relocating back to Melbourne and nice to repay them with a winner here today.
'She looked well placed coming back to Saturday grade.'
Shinn is riding Apache Song in the Group 3 Bletchingly Stakes (1200m) on Saturday at Caulfield while Williams has James Cummings-trained Kin in the feature sprint.
Originally published as Blake Shinn moves closer to Melbourne jockeys' premiership with double at Sandown
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