Picture: Mexican Pete cruises in under Sean Veale (Candiese Lenferna Photography)
Frank Robinson has two unbeaten three-year-old’s, Sovereign State and Mexican Pete, who look to have classic potential and both are owned by Sid Moodley.
Mexican Pete, an R80,000 Master Of My Fate colt was asked to run off a 90 merit rating and carry 60.5kg against hardened older handicappers over 1600m on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly today (Wednesday) in just his second career start.
Frank pointed out afterwards this was not at all an easy task for such a young, inexperienced horse and yet he cruised in by four lengths in effortless fashion under Sean Veale.
Sovereign State, a gelding by Visionaire, has been equally impressive and is also unbeaten in two starts.
Another promising type for the Robinson/Moodley combination is Futura colt Star Of The Future, who finished a narrow second over the too sharp 1000m on debut.
It is well documented that Moodley has bought thirty new horses into the Robinson yard, fifteen three-year-olds and fifteen two-year-olds, and tthe three-year-olds have made a fine start to the partnership.
This has helped Robinson have his best ever start to a season.
He has had seven wins so far this season at a 29.7% strike rate, the highest strike rate in the country.
He decribed Mexican Pete as “more like a Derby horse.”
Veale, who has become the yard’s stable jockey, made a more telling statement, “I haven’t sat on a string like this since Mr Drier was powerful.”
Sovereign State comes out again on Monday in a MR88 Handicap over 1400m on the poly and that will be another acid test for him because he has to run off a 98 merit rating.
Sid Moodley watched today’s race from a beach resort in Greece.
It is exciting times for both him and Frank.
