FRAZER HELPS "BUCKO" CLINCH COMEBACK TREBLE

SATURDAY: February 15, 2025: SOMETIMES it’s meant to be!

Garry Frazer got as much pleasure helping Grant Buckley cap an amazing comeback treble at Newcastle today as he did himself winning two races in a row at the track with rejuvenated gelding Binkou, who was a $15,000 purchase online in April 2021.

Buckley, who resumed riding only a week ago after very nearly being paralysed when a horse flipped over on top of him in the enclosure at Wyong last June, had already scored on La Bella Bondi ($7.50) for Kembla Grange trainer Kerry Parker and Jayashree ($5.50) for Team Hawkes.

Then he put the icing on the comeback cake by bringing Frazer’s Binkou ($9) from well back to land the Provincial Benchmark 64 Handicap (1880m).

Buckley, who fractured his pelvis in the Wyong incident on June 13 and underwent two operations and spent six weeks in a wheelchair, has ridden heaps of winners for the multiple Group 1 winning Hawkesbury trainer.

More than 30 years ago Frazer had attempted to give the then young jockey a winning debut ride at Nowra.

“I put Grant on an open company horse who was favorite, and thought I could give him a winner at his very first ride,” Frazer recalled this evening.

“However it didn’t work out. He missed the start by many lengths.

“Grant has come a long way since then and it was terrific to see him win on my horse today to clinch a treble so soon after coming back.”

Frazer says he isn’t surprised five-year-old Binkou is going better than ever.

“When he came to me last year, he was halfway through a campaign,” he said.

“He had a good break, and I have been giving him a different routine.

“If I told you how I was training him, you would think I’d lost the plot.

“Binkou is a stayer, but I’m not training him like one, and it’s working.

“He did a good job to win today, especially with the rail out nine metres, after settling last and then coming around the field.

“Binkou really likes Newcastle. All his four wins have been there; the first two on the Beaumont track (when prepared at Port Macquarie by Robert Agnew) and then the two for me on the course proper.”

At his second run back, the son of Outreach had a won a midweek Benchmark 64 Handicap (1600m) at Broadmeadow on January 21 at $16 when ridden by Hawkesbury apprentice Zac Wadick, who was competing in town today.

Binkou again sustained a determined surge down the centre of the track to defeat Kembla Grange’s Gwendie ($7) and Newcastle’s $3.10 favorite Rothrock to post the fourth victory of his so far 22-start career.

Frazer is confident that Binkou, racing in such good form, can measure up in town this preparation, at least in a midweek 1900m event at Canterbury.

. HOOFNOTE: Binkou’s dam, the Danehill Dancer mare Cute And Cuddly, never raced but was ridden by Buckley’s great mate Tye Angland in her only barrier trial at Rosehill Gardens in November 2008.