Blake Shinn is no stranger to success at the Longines Hong Kong International Races and the gun Australian jockey will arrive at Sha Tin next month confident he has legitimate chances in two of the marquee meeting’s features.

Shinn will ride the Tony Gollan-trained Antino in the Group One Hong Kong Mile, while he will chase a second Group One Hong Kong Sprint (1,200m) triumph when he teams up with David Hall’s Invincible Sage.

Shinn snared the 2021 Sprint aboard Sky Field, avoiding the ugly four-horse fall that marred the contest before powering to victory, and is confident that this year he is partnering a horse who is good enough to pounce should the brilliant Ka Ying Rising be off his game.

“He’s a good sprinter on his day and I think his last run indicated he’s peaking for December,” Shinn said of Invincible Sage, who was fifth behind Ka Ying Rising in last weekend’s Group Two Jockey Club Sprint (1,200m).

“That was a return to form last time. He drew wide and had to come around the field. I think his fourth run in sets up nicely.

“We’re all there trying to beat Ka Ying Rising but he’s a capable horse and I’m rapt to be riding him. I think he’s setting up to run really well.”

Shinn will be reuniting with both Invincible Sage, who he partnered to a Class One third on the Hong Kong Derby undercard in March, and Antino, aboard whom he launched a daring mid-race move before surging to a dominant victory in last month’s Group One Toorak Handicap (1,600m) at Caulfield.

The Hong Kong-owned Antino then produced a narrow second behind Mr Brightside in the Group One Champions Mile at Flemington on November 9, with Mark Zahra in the saddle on that occasion.

“He brings strong Australian form. That last run was against the best milers that we have to offer in Australia and he acquitted himself exceptionally well,” said Shinn.

“Mr Brightside has proven season after season to be one of the top weight-for-age horses around.

“To run close to him is a great performance in itself and I think that’s the measure of the horse you need to be right up there against some of the world’s best in Hong Kong.

“If he can produce that run when he gets there, that will hold him in good stead.”

Shinn is familiar with the local gallopers standing between Antino and Mile glory, having partnered Galaxy Patch to second in March’s Derby and fifth behind the likes of Beauty Eternal and Voyage Bubble in April’s Group One Champions Mile.

“There doesn’t appear a lot between them and I think it’s just a matter of the right run on the day,” said Shinn, who also has rides for Mark Newnham and Jamie Richards on the HKIR undercard.

“When there’s not a lot between them, that’s where the rides can come into play and it can become quite tactical.

“From Antino’s point of view, he’s a backmarker so pace can come into it. But he can make a long run and he can quicken really well if it’s a sprint home, so he’s quite versatile even though he’s a backmarker. He can adapt to all situations.”