A great day went within a long neck of being a magnificent one for jockey Blake Shinn.

With a quartet of winners on the board at Moonee Valley before Saturday's Cox Plate, Shinn almost spoiled the party of those willing Winx to a record-equalling third Cox Plate success.

Shinn rode a masterful race on runner-up Humidor settling at the back of the field of eight before picking his way through the field from the 600m.

He peeled out turning for home and gave chase over the final 200m, looking for a fleeting moment as though he would reel in Winx.

Thoughts of toppling Winx over those final stages didn't enter Shinn's head, with the jockey concentrating on getting Humidor to the line.

"I was aware Winx was obviously in front but I wasn't thinking too much about beating her," Shinn said.

"I was concentrating on getting my horse to the line first.

"He didn't quite get there but he ran an unbelievable race."

Humidor wore blinkers for the first time on Saturday which helped straighten the gelding in the run to line, although he did wander about in the straight.

But Shinn was adamant it didn't cost Humidor finishing closer to Winx.

Humidor was more than seven lengths astern of Winx in the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington last month.

"Full credit to Darren and his team for the way they have got him," Shinn said.

"He has beaten the rest of the field by four-and-a-quarter lengths and has obviously turned that defeat around in the blinkers."