Binaisse After Lost Cox Plate Trophy

Mornington horseman Dean Binaisse admits he has never fully gotten over his missed chance of preparing a Cox Plate winner back in 2008 and has two roughie hopes for the weight-for-age classic this spring.

Craig Williams

Champion jockey Craig Williams rode 2016 Cox Plate roughie entry Fast And Furious in his unplaced debut over the winter. Photo: Ultimate Racing Photos.

Six years ago Binaisse was eyeing a run in the lucrative Moonee Valley classic with then three-year-old Carnero.

Missing the cut off for late Cox Plate entries that spring, Binaisse instead saddled-up the promising Carnegie colt in the Group 2 Moonee Valley Vase (2040m) on Cox Plate Day.

The horse ran a close fourth behind Whobegotyou, who won the Vase in a faster time than Maldivian went on to win the Cox Plate at the same track and distance later that day.

“If [owner] Brett [Davies] hadn’t slept in the morning of Breakfast With The Stars we would have run in the Cox Plate, so we are not going to make that mistake again,” Binaisse told G1X this week.

“He missed the gallop and if he had seen it you never know how it could have fallen.”

Davies and co-owner Leigh Davies have another shot at the classic this Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival with Fast And Furious, one of two Cox Plate entries for Binaisse along with the unraced Lucky Beau.

On Tuesday Racing Victoria took 157 nominations for this spring’s $3 million Group 1 W.S. Cox Plate (2040m), running on Saturday October 22, including Binaisse’s duo who are triple-figures in futures betting.

Fast And Furious is a son of former Group 1 winning juvenile Pressday, the colt at $301 in all-in Cox Plate markets at Ladbrokes.com.au after a seventh on debut at Sale on June 8 with champion hoop Craig Williams in the saddle.

Lucky Beau is even longer in the markets at $501, the Bradbury’s Luck colt yet to have even an official trial.

Binaisse is a realist but remains hopeful of atoning for his ill-fated Cox Plate dream of 2008 saying you have to be in it to win it.

“You have to be in the race to win them,” he said.

Connections have already turned down a quarter-of-a-million-dollar offer for Fast And Furious who was purchased for $60,000 as a yearling.

“We have already knocked back $250,000 for him after a jump out last week at Cranbourne and he’ll trial next Monday,” Binaisse said.

Binaisse also confirmed a Monday trial for stablemate Lucky Beau whose owners paid $72,500 for at the yearling sales.

“He too has shown us a lot at home and I’ve learned a lot about him, we have to dream,” Binaisse said.

Things have been a struggle for Binaisse in recent times due to his association with Dan Robinson and the peptides allegations against his stable.

He was fully cleared from any involvement by Racing Victoria, but said it took clients longer than the media to forgive and forget.

“It has been very tough but I believe I have a couple of nice horses in the stable and have thrown them in,” Binaisse said.

About The Author

Lucy Henderson

Lucy is an experienced horse racing journalist that has been a crucial member of the horseracing.com.au team for the better part of a decade. She has taken great delight in covering champion mares Black Caviar and Winx throughout their careers and always has a soft spot for a winning filly.