Blake Shinn has never ridden his Cox Plate mount Humidor, but the Sydney jockey knows exactly what he is up against in Australia's weight-for-age championship at Moonee Valley on Saturday.
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Shinn has benefited from Damian Lane's careless riding suspension at Caulfield to gain the ride on Humidor for Ballarat trainer Darren Weir.
A two-time group 1 winner, Humidor is one of eight hopefuls attempting to stop champion mare Winx matching Kingston Town's three successive Cox Plate victories.
Although logic suggests Winx will stretch her winning streak to 22 races, Shinn declared Humidor was not running to make up the numbers.
"I'll treat this race like any other one, I'm out there to win," Shinn said. "You just never know, you're never out there to run second."
Shinn has crossed paths with Winx once during her Cox Plate-geared preparation and he rode Happy Clapper to a creditable second in the group 1 George Main Stakes, 1600m, in Sydney.
Humidor was an impressive winner of the group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes, 1600m, at Flemington last month, where he beat Winx's old adversary Hartnell by more than three lengths.
However, Humidor was no match for Winx when she debuted at Flemington in the group 1 Turnbull Stakes.
Humidor is backing up from a fifth in last week's Caulfield Cup.
"It was a good run in the Caulfield Cup I thought. Back to 2000, blinkers on ... he's certainly capable of running a bottler," Shinn said.
BALLARAT trainer Dan O'Sullivan is targeting Saturday's $20,000 St Arnaud Cup, 2000m, with Fine Embers.
The 7yo is coming off a third over 2000m in Ballarat for what will be his biggest test.
Darren Weir has two starters in Lucky Paddy and import Shamkiyr, which two starts ago finished sixth in the Sheep Hills Cup at Warracknabeal.
ARCHIE Alexander is chasing back-to-back cups with Survived.
The in-form Ballarat trainer saddles up the 8yo in the $60,000 Hamilton Cup, 2200m, on Sunday.
Survived has won three races since arriving from New Zealand and all have been cups, with back-to-back success at Mt Gambier and a last-start victory in the Murtoa Cup.
US-bred Andrea Mantenga is Darren Weir’s representative in the Hamilton Cup.
YOSHIMOTO Shima broke through for his first win as a trainer on his home track in Ballarat on Thursday.
Beyond The Dream ($2) saluted for Shima in the Bartlett Blinds Maiden for fillies and mares, 1000m.
Shima came to Australia from Japan in 2002 and worked with Mike Moroney, Steve Richards and Chris Waller before going out on his own in Ballarat a few seasons ago.