By Duane Ranger
Jomo’s fourth career win at Cambridge Raceway last Thursday night had goat connections.
The 8-year-old Earl gelding is certainly no GOAT (Greatest Of All Time) but he does have goat friends who share is owner John Robinson’s attention.
Robinson milks 400 goats at Ohaupo for the New Zealand Dairy Goat Co-Op. He’s been doing that for a quarter of a century. In between times he has trained and owned standardbreds.
The 55-year-old actually notched up his first training, owning and driving success in 22 months when Jomo won the $6,500 Farmsource Morrinsville 5yo and older (up to R49) Trot.
That was the last time Jomo won as well. He was bred by Auckland businessman Russell Dye, and Robinson shares the ownership with his wife Mary Anne.
Jomo has raced every month this year except January when he was spelling. He will line up again on Friday night at Alexandra Park from 30m behind in the ninth race – the $12,000 Nestle Speedy Smoothies Handicap R56-R58 Trot. Jomo currently has an R52 rating.
“He’s no star but I was real pleased with his win at Cambridge the other night, and he actually goes better the Alexandra Park-way-around.
“He’s a consistent, honest horse who is always thereabouts. I enjoy training him,” said Robinson who also has two other 2-year-olds on his property.
They are a brown Majestic Son – Lovely Shotagold colt named Possum Canyon and a bay Art Major – Noblesse Royale filly called Major Blink.
Jomo hasn’t finished further back than fifth in his last 11 starts. He has only won once at ‘The Park’ but all four of his wins have been over Friday’s 2200m stand.
Last week’s nose victory over McShane and Todd Mitchell was also a 2200m stand and Jomo started from the front row draw of five.
It as a brilliantly timed last-stride winning drive from Robinson.
Going out of the home straight the first time they were fourth (single file along the markers) and then were still hemmed up with 500m to run. That was when Robinson managed to extricate himself off the markers to be in the one-one turning for home.
He then let the brown gelding down in the lane and they got up in the last stride at odds of $6.10.
“He’s come through the race well and we are looking forward to Friday. It’s a big step up but he’s enjoying his racing, and like I said earlier he’s better suited to the right-handed way around,” Robinson said.
Robinson has been driving since 1979 and then took out his trainer’s licence a decade later after learning his trade from his father. His winning tallies currently sit at 78 and 34 victories respectively.
“I’ve been working them most of my life off-and-on, and in my own name for a few decades now. I also trained another 20 or so winners with my father (1983-1988). He had some nice horses and that’s where I got the bug from,” Robinson said.
His father – Len, trained some nice standardbreds like the 1975 open-class trotting mare, Thriller Dee (24 wins $120,310); the 1978 Smooth Fella gelding, Harper’s Bazaar (eight wins and $26,140); the 1975 Scottish Hanover gelding, Tutor (eight wins and $36,760); and the 1983 Baron Tan gelding, Brunswick (six wins and $40,660).
“Dad had some nice horses all right. I’ve only really had time to train one at a time, and that’s the way I like it. I’d say the best horse I have trained, owned and driven would be Bee Gee Williams.
“He was bred by Dad (Butler B G – Olivia) and won his first three races in a row for me in (March and April) 1996. He only had seven starts and sadly died (October) the following year,” Robinson said.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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