Wednesday's impressive Caulfield winner Pedro Ximenez is certainly bred to be a Cup winner.
The lightly-raced son of High Chaparral made it three wins from 10 starts with a strong win in the Moorookyle Park Handicap over 2400m, finishing too well to score after a slow start.
Trainer Mike Moroney's brother Paul purchased Pedro Ximenez for $150,000 from the Three Bridges draft at the 2015 Inglis Premier Sale at Oaklands.
"It was a good effort as he lost five lengths at the start," Moroney said.
"Then it was made harder for him when they slackened the tempo and he had to make a long searching run.
"That said he just kept coming in the straight and I think he's going to get two miles eventually.
"He's a High Chaparral out of a half-sister to Viewed – I think he's 12 months away but he's a nice stayer in the making I think.
"He's a big raw-boned horse and we've taken our time with him, I think he's got another win in him this preparation but he's still
High Chaparral sired last year's Melbourne Cup winner Rekindling and the 2010 Caulfield Cup winner Descarado while Viewed (Scenic) won the 2008 Melbourne and Brisbane Cups and the 2009 Caulfield Cup.
Further back and Pedro Ximenez's fourth dam Mountain Heights (Rocky Mountain) is a half-sister to Battle Heights, winner of the Sydney and Wellington Cups and a Cox Plate.
