Blake Shinn hoping for second Cup win

Blake Shinn is dismissing Gallante’s last start Moonee Valley Cup showing when assessing the stayer’s chances of giving him his second Melbourne Cup at Flemington.

Shinn won the 2008 Cup on Viewed for the late Bart Cummings and rides this year’s Sydney Cup winner Gallante in Tuesday’s $6 million race from barrier two.

Gallante is one of four runners for prominent owner Lloyd Williams and is trained by Robert Hickmott.

Williams is a four-time Cup winning owner.

Six-year-old import Gallante finished seventh in the Moonee Valley Cup last start but Shinn said people should put a line through that run.

“People may think he was a little disappointing last start and it’s easy to say that, but there were genuine excuses, leading on that track at Moonee Valley where I feel you just couldn’t do that that day,” Shinn said.

“And he got taken on the whole way. We put a line through that.”

Shinn pointed to the horse’s first-up run over 2000m when he finished second to subsequent Caulfield Cup winner Jameka – one of the leading Melbourne Cup contenders – as a better form reference.

“Take him on his Naturalism run, second to Jameka, and that’s good form lines,” Shinn said.

“He’s won over the distance in a Sydney Cup. Team Williams have won four Melbourne Cups before so they know how to get a horse ready for the day.

“I’m optimistic that he’s going run well from a great draw.”