Veteran jockey Blake Shinn has posted an update from his hospital bed after breaking his leg in a nasty fall on Melbourne Cup day at Flemington. Shinn was taken to hospital and three other jockeys copped suspensions on a dramatic day on Tuesday.
Jamie Melham saluted on Half Yours to become just the second female jockey to win the great race. But there were horrible scenes just minutes later when Shinn fell from She’s Got Pizzazz in the ninth race of the day. Shinn’s mount appeared to get caught up with two other horses, which saw the top jockey go crashing to the turf.
Blake Shinn was taken to hospital with a broken leg after a nasty fall on Melbourne Cup day. Image: Blake Shinn/Getty
Officials and paramedics immediately rushed to his aid, and there was a delay of several minutes while he received treatment. Shinn was taken to hospital via ambulance, and he later confirmed reports he’s broken his leg.
Posting a photo of himself in his hospital bed, Shinn said he’s grateful She’s Got Pizzazz wasn’t seriously injured. “Thank you all for your kind messages after my fall,” he wrote. “I’ve broken my leg and will be sidelined for a bit, but I’m very grateful that She’s Got Pizzazz is okay.”
She’s Got Pizzazz had a “lame off fore” after the incident, according to Racing Victoria.
Blake Shinn received medical attention after falling off She’s Got Pizzazz. (Photo by Morgan Hancock/Getty Images)
Shinn is one of Australia’s most successful jockeys, and won the Melbourne Cup in 2008 on Viewed. Fans and pundits sent their well-wishes to the 38-year-old on social media.
Kerrin McEvoy, who won Race 9 on Dance to the Boom, told Channel 9: “Firstly, I just hope Blake Shinn is OK. You don’t like to see a riderless horse after a race.”
Three jockeys suspended on Melbourne Cup day
Meanwhile, three other jockeys copped suspensions on an eventful day at Flemington. Jye McNeil was lashed with an 18-meeting suspension for his ride on Valiant King in the Melbourne Cup, after an incident at the 2500m mark.
Stewards ruled that McNeil interfered with Stephane Pasqier on Presage Nocturne and Shinn on Vauban, deeming his actions to be “careless riding”. Neil Farley copped a seven-meeting ban for breaching whip rules when he finished second on Pittsburgh Pirate in Race 2. The ban will be served from the November 6 to 11.
And John Allen was hit with two counts of careless riding in two separate races – on Kaleo in Race 8 and on Windstorm in Race 10. He copped two separate bans – one for 10 meetings and the other for eight – and will be out from November 7 to 24.
Neil Farley and Jye McNeil copped suspensions on Melbourne Cup day. Image: Getty
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Updates on Half Yours and Buckaroo after worrying scenes
Cup day was largely incident free for the horses. Half Yours was seen bleeding from the mouth after winning the race that stops the nation, but Racing Victoria later revealed it had suffered a laceration and nothing more sinister.
“A post race examination by the raceday veterinary team found that Half Yours had sustained a minor laceration to the inside of its left cheek,” a Victoria Racing statement said. “The horse is fine and no veterinary treatment was required.”
And the Chris Waller-trained Buckaroo was seen pulling up early in the great race, but hasn’t sustained anything too serious. The last-placed finisher reportedly suffered an episode of EIPH (Exercise-Induced Pulmonary Hemorrhage), which amounts to blood from the lungs that can show at the nostrils.
Thankfully Buckaroo was doing well on Tuesday evening. Chris Waller Racing wrote on social media: “Thanks for the well wishes and concerns in relation to Buckaroo. All of our runners have pulled up safe and here is Buckaroo having a pick of grass, back at the stables.”