| Binocular | |
|---|---|
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| Sire | Enrique |
| Grandsire | Barathea |
| Dam | Bleu Ciel Et Blanc |
| Damsire | Pistolet Bleu |
| Sex | Gelding |
| Foaled | 2004 |
| Country | France |
| Colour | Bay |
| Breeder | Élie Lellouche |
| Owner | J. P. McManus |
| Trainer | Nicky Henderson |
| Record | 9-3-2 (18 starts) |
| Earnings | £583,478 |
| Major wins | |
| Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle (2008) Champion Hurdle (2010) Christmas Hurdle (2010 – run in 2011, 2011) | |
| Last updated on 29 December 2011 | |
Binocular, foaled on 17 March 2004 in France, is a French thoroughbred retired racehorse. He was sired by Enrique out of the mare Bleu Ciel Et Blanc.[1] He is owned by J. P. McManus and trained by Nicky Henderson. His primary jockey is Tony McCoy.[2]
Binocular started racing as a two-year-old when he was entered into the Prix de Belleville – for unraced colt (horse) and geldings – in October 2006. In that race, he bested 10 other horses en route to his first victory.[2] His first notable win came in February 2008 at Kempton Park Racecourse in Sunbury-on-Thames, Surrey, England where he won the Adonis Juvenile Novices' Hurdle, a Grade 2 National Hunt race. Although he won the race, McManus was disappointed. He said of Binocular; "It seemed that the horse didn't jump as well as he can, but Kempton is a quick track, and maybe he was not suited to it."[3]
Binocular's first major win in a Grade 1 race came in April 2008. With jockey McCoy at the helm, he went on to win the 2008 Anniversary 4-Y-O Novices' Hurdle at Aintree Racecourse in Aintree, Merseyside, England where he beat Celestial Halo by 7 lengths.[4] Binocular's other major Grade 1 National Hunt win came in the Champion Hurdle in March 2010 at Cheltenham Racecourse when he beat Khyber Kim by 3.5 lengths.[5] Binocular had originally been ruled out of the Champion Hurdle due to a muscle problem,[6] and he drifted out to as high as 999–1 to win the race.[7] However, McManus and McCoy later decided he was fit to run.[8] By winning the Champion Hurdle, he denied 4-1 race favourite[9] Go Native the chance to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown of Hurdling.[7]
Binocular's career record reads 9 wins, 3 seconds and 2 thirds, with 2 of his wins coming in Grade 1 races.[2]
On 10 December 2013 it was announced that Binocular was retired due to a heart problem.[10]
- ^ Binocular Pedigree, pedigreequery.com, accessed 17 March 2010.
- ^ a b c Binocular Pedigree, racingpost.com, accessed 17 March 2010.
- ^ Binocular target unclear at Kempton, telegraph.co.uk, 25 February 2008, accessed 17 March 2010.
- ^ Binocular topples Halo at Aintree Archived 2012-03-08 at the Wayback Machine, breakingnews.iol.ie, 3 April 2008, accessed 17 March 2010.
- ^ Binocular avenges 2009 defeat to land shock Champion Hurdle win, mirror.co.uk, 17 March 2010, accessed 17 March 2010.
- ^ Binocular ruled out of Champion Hurdle reckoning by muscle problem[dead link], timesonline.co.uk, 18 February 2010, accessed 17 March 2010.
- ^ a b Bone scans and back specialists turn 999-1 Binocular into a champion, guardian.co.uk, 16 March 2010, accessed 17 March 2010.
- ^ Binocular regains former dash to scoop Champion Hurdle, timesonline.co.uk, 17 March 2010, accessed 17 March 2010.
- ^ Go Native ready to go for the million bonus, advertiser.ie, 11 Match 2010, accessed 17 March 2010.
- ^ [1] Heart problem forces Binocular into retirement, racingpost.com, 10 December 2013, accessed 10 December 2013.