Hall of Fame trainer Lee Freedman got back on the winner’s list in Melbourne for the first time in more than a decade on Wednesday with Binding victorious at Sandown.
Binding, expertly handled by star jockey Jamie Kah, led and fended off Pitchanun in a pulsating finish to the 1600m Benchmark 70.
Five-time Melbourne Cup-winner Freedman, now Queensland-based, was thrilled for Binding’s owners who backed the decision to send the tough and talented mare to his brother Anthony and nephew Sam.
Binding has been trained out of Pinecliff the past couple of months to prepare for a Melbourne winter campaign.
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“She’s a nice mare we just don’t know how our mares compare to Victoria,” Freedman said.
“We thought we’d take the punt because we don’t have those sort of mares’ races here, particularly at that (70-75) benchmark,” Freedman said.
“It was a bit of a gamble, I’m glad the owners backed me on it and they got a nice payday.”
Freedman, who has saddled about 4000 winners including 128 at the highest level, could not recall his last in Melbourne – believed to be about 15 years ago.
He trained winners in partnership with brother Anthony back in 2013-14 before a stint overseas.
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Freedman believed Binding was his 500th winner at Sandown alone.
“I was really thrilled for the owners, they threw in behind the idea on a wing and a prayer and it came off,” Freedman said.
“She’ll stay down there, she’s going to improve a lot off a first-up run with 62.5kg.”
Kah appreciated the result for the legendary trainer, whose Melbourne Cup triumphs included Tawriffic (1989), Subzero (1990), Doriemus (1995) and Makybe Diva (2004-05).
“That’s a special winner,” Kah said.
“When I saw it was one of Lee’s horses, I didn’t know anything about the horse, but I thought she’d be pretty hard to beat.”