Blake Shinn is chasing the biggest prize of his career this weekend, confident that Antino is capable of producing a Cox Plate performance worthy of a champion. The Cox Plate (2040m) is Australia’s most prestigious weight-for-age event and will be staged at Moonee Valley for the final time before redevelopment.

Shinn came agonisingly close in 2017 when Humidor pushed Winx to the brink of defeat, and the top jockey says he still dreams of lifting the famous trophy. “This race really has everything year after year,” Shinn said. “There is always a great story about it and there is so much history about it. It is what we call the weight-for-age championship of our sport at 2000 metres. It is the best of the best and hopefully me and Antino can come out on top. I think he’s a horse that deserves all the accolades, but it won’t be easy with the reigning champion Via Sistina, but I feel he’s good enough to do it.”

Talk of a slow tempo doesn’t bother Shinn, who says Antino’s race sense and stamina make him adaptable in any scenario. “Antino, he is quite adaptable. He has got a turn of foot. He’s not a one-paced horse,” he said. “He has that ability to make a mid-race move and he can sustain a really long run when I need him to do it. He’s now at a fitness level where I can make two runs on him, if need be, but I won’t be able to assess that until I get out there and get the feel of the race.”

Antino’s rise began with a brilliant victory in the Toorak Handicap (1600m) last spring, and although winless this campaign, his lead-up form has impressed. His runner-up finish in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington confirmed his readiness for the weight-for-age showdown.

“His run in the Turnbull, in my opinion was incredible,” Shinn said. “He had a kilo more than Sir Delius, two, three and four kilos more than the opposition in that race. He covered ground and was right there to the end. It was the run of a genuine weight-for-age horse and that’s set him up well for this test on Saturday. It all comes down to luck in running, circumstances and hopefully we can give him a smooth passage, and he gets his opportunity and with a bit of luck he’s good enough. You need a champion to win this race and hopefully Antino can prove to be one.”

Shinn knows how much the Cox Plate means in Australian racing — and with Antino peaking at the right moment, he’s hoping history might just be on their side this time.