A magnetic read apparatus includes a read sensor, a shield structure and a side magnetic bias structure. The read sensor includes a free layer having a side and a nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield structure includes a shield pinning structure and a shield reference structure. The nonmagnetic spacer layer is between the shield reference structure and the free layer. The shield reference structure is between the shield pinning structure and the nonmagnetic spacer layer. The shield pinning structure includes a pinned magnetic moment in a first direction. The shield reference structure includes a shield reference structure magnetic moment weakly coupled with the pinned magnetic moment. The side magnetic bias structure is adjacent to the side of the free layer.