The History ChannelHarness & Greyhounds

JayJay

Binshaw (continued).

Every person who claims to have (a) some trotting blood in their veins and (b) at least a smidgen of sentimentality, should be aware of the Binshaw story.

Not so much the very well documented early stages of his racing life and his spectacular exploits at the 1967 Inters but moreso the latter years of his remarkable career.

After winning the Easter Cup in 1970 for Ray Sweetman, he won a further two Free For Alls for Sweetman culminating in the Yuletide FFA on December 26th, 1970 as an 8 year old no less. He ran 2nd to Pyramus in the State Sprint Championship from the stand in State Record Time and was third to her in the Stratton Cup.

Turned out for a spell, he returned on May 1st, 1971 but went amiss when running 4th. It would be 17 months before he raced again, now under the care of Fred Kersley.

On September 23rd, 1972, now an 11 year old, he ran 7th off 72 yards to Jimmy Griffith"s good mare Lucky Nell. Running a number of places, including a 2nd to Red Vicar, he returned to the winners list on January 13th, 1973 at Richmond Raceway in a Free For All.

On the 7th July 1973, he began a run of 5 successive open class wins.....5 in a row at 12 years of age...beating the likes of Yankee Rhythm and Roc Eden before a 2nd to Yankee Rhythm on Dec 1st 1973. Leg issues flared again and he was spelled.

Returning as a 13 year old on August 2nd, 1974, he ran 2nd three times to Speedy Ben in Free For Alls, Invitation Stakes and the August Cup before beating Speedy Ben in a FFA on November 4th 1974.  It was a short campaign as he was feeling his old legs again and many thought retireent beckoned.

Nope, back he came 10 months later (as a 14 year old) with placings to Zaruma, and on December 26th, 1975 in a WA Cup Heat,he ran second to Gus Erikson (Laurie Moulds) on a night when the other heat winners were Royal Force, Pure Steel, Don't Retreat and Paleface Adios.  Remarkably, Binshaw had won an Interdominion before any of those champions had even been born.

He had a few unplaced runs after that before the now famous Fremantle Flying Mile on January 30th, 1976.At 14 years of age, he bowed out a winner on a night when the "pollen count" in the air was very high. Fortunately I was there and I will never forget it.

Tom Everett promised a lifelong care commitment to paying for Binshaws retirement which ended up being slightly more than he may have anticipated, as he lived to a remarkable 35 year of age, almost unheard of, passing away in December 1996. In 1989 at age 27, he lead out the Interdominion Grand Final Field at Gloucester Park, scene of 20 of his 24 city wins, 29 wins overall. When Bill Kersley was giving him some light exercise to ready him for the night, he had to work him on his own as he wanted to race the other horses being worked at Byford.

In January 1997, he was rightfully buried at  the GP  Winning Post in the company of his his owners and trainers. 

He probably wasn't the best horse to race in WA.....but ...there will never be another Binshaw.

savethegame

Binshaw,be hard knocking on the toughest pacer W A has seen the amount breakdowns.
Eight starts as three year- old, for one win sold for 4,000 to syndicate.
Then by his 20th start backed from 80/1 by the time Inters final he was 7/2
Badly Bowed tendon,out for 21months
He also endured severe injuries to his near side hock badly damaged coronet and hoof from race fall,

Brokedown with Kersley out for 17 1/2 months before he returned.
When he his final start arrived, the mobile slackened during scoreup He Drove his back leg through his off side fetlock with blood dripping he went out a winner
He was 14 

nine years after he won inters.