Blake Shinn will get a chance to capitalise on the absence of premiership pacesetter James McDonald with a busy book of rides during the Christmas period.

McDonald, who leads Shinn by one win in the Sydney jockeys' title hunt, has decided to take a short break and return home to New Zealand for Christmas.

He will miss the Warwick Farm card on Christmas Eve as well as feature meetings at Randwick on Boxing Day and Canterbury on Saturday.

Shinn is in demand at all three venues with full books on Wednesday and Friday and rides in seven of the eight races at the Canterbury Classic program.

Already a winner of the Sydney jockeys' premiership in 2007-08, Shinn is philosophical about his chances of adding another with seven months of the season still remaining.

"It's a goal I would like to achieve but you can't get ahead of yourself in this game," Shinn said.

"If things don't go to plan you've got to learn to accept it.

"My goal is to win it and I'll do everything I can to try to, but if it doesn't happen then it's not meant to be."

Shinn's realistic attitude comes on the back of a year in which he's experienced the full spectrum of life's rollercoaster.

He lost friend and mentor Guy Walter to a heart attack in May.

He regathered himself to score Group One wins on First Seal and Junoob during the Sydney spring carnival, only to lose the latter when Junoob subsequently tested positive to a banned substance.

A ride in the Melbourne Cup also went begging when he was sidelined by a careless riding suspension.

Despite it all, Shinn has arguably been riding in career-best form.

His Randwick mounts include the John Thompson-trained debutant Imperial Guard in the James Boag's Premium Handicap and dual acceptor Scream Machine, $6 second favourite for the Group Three Summer Cup.

Scream Machine is also paid up for a race at Canterbury on Saturday and trainer Jason Coyle says the weather will be a factor in where the horse runs.

"There is some weather coming into Sydney," Coyle said.

"The sting out won't hurt him but it depends how much (rain) we get. Canterbury is the best wet weather track in Sydney.

"But we're very much 50-50 at the moment."