Disqualified jockey Blake Shinn, who was revealed to have been battling with an $800 a day gambling habit, has had three months taken off his 15-month suspension incurred for his involvement in a betting scandal.

Shinn’s original disqualification was to expire on February 26, 2012 after he was found guilty of multiple charges relating to having bets placed on the outcome of races that he rode in.

Penalties were laid in regards to a number of wagers Shinn, a former Melbourne Cup winning hoop, placed including:

• $2,500 on Giresun, which finished 2^nd in Race 2 at Randwick on 18 August 2010 when he rode Diamond Jim in the same race
• Bets placed on eight individual occasions on horses he rode between 14 January 2010 and 2 December 2010
• General thoroughbred race bets he placed on horses between 5 October 2008 and 30 September 2010

Racing NSW on Monday heard the appeal of Shinn, 23, and subsequently decreased the total period of his ineligibility to ride from 15 months to 12 months.

Although the panel dismissed his appeal against all charges, they ruled that a three-month penalty for Shinn using his phone whilst present in the jockeys’ room at Hawkesbury Racecourse in August of last year was to be served simultaneously with his other bans.

Shinn has been told he is eligible to reapply for a Jockey’s Licence on November 26 of this year.

Chairman of the Appeals Panel, Mr John Hiatt OAM, understood Shinn had a massive addiction to gambling but that his actions showed “arrogance and disregard to the rules of Australian racing.”

“It was prolonged and excessive betting over a period of time,” Hiatt said.

Elaine Robl, wife of fellow jockey Peter Robl who was also involved in the betting scandal and a registered trackwork rider, along with Shinns’ mother and licensed stablehand Carol Shinn were fined $7,500 each for facilitating Robl and Shinns’ betting.

Both, however, had their fines reduced to $5,000 on appeal yesterday.

The shocking depth of Shinns’ addiction to gambling was made evident throughout his appeal against the 15-month disqualification.

It was found Shinn was betting a startling average of $800 per day, which saw him outlay over $580,000 in total over an out-of-control two year gambling spree.