Vicbred heats a super chance to again Roarforroscoe

Opportunity knocks for the two-year-old tearaways when the Vicbred Super Series kicks off at Shepparton tomorrow night, and for one group of connections it’s a chance to again roar for a mate loved and lost.

Roarforroscoe will step out in the seventh race, the last of the four Art Major two-year-old colts and geldings heats, with trainer/driver Juanita Breen’s unbeaten gelding sure to have plenty of supporters in his corner as he endeavours to overcome a difficult back row draw.

Breen and Aaron Brown, who bred and own the horse, auctioned 10 per cent of the Betterthancheddar gelding last year as part of the Harness Charity Challenge, which was snapped up by challenge organiser Stephen Salter and friends Martin Waples, Andrew Price and Andrew Harrison.

The successful $2000 bid was donated to rarecancers.org.au in honour of Salter’s “great mate and cousin”, Ross Patrick, who had recently lost his battle with cancer.

“He had a small cell cancer, which is really aggressive, fast growing cancer,” Salter told SEN Track’s Trots Life. “It stemmed from having prostate cancer a year or two before that.

“It hit him pretty hard and we lost him on the 10^th of October that year, so it was a pretty big struggle for me. He was one of my best mates. Pretty much every Richmond game we’d have our seats together.

“A couple of mates got together at the same time and said why don’t we buy a share of this (horse). They’ve always really been thoroughbred owners, never really trotting, and I thought this is probably the best time to have a crack.”

They named the gelding Roarforroscoe in honour of Ross Patrick and the second son of dam Sayalittleprayer soon rewarded their faith, winning on debut by a neck at Cranbourne on November 28, which had connections “over the moon.”

“When the name was confirmed it was a pretty emotional time, for me and the family, to have something named after Roscoe and we can get to the track and cheer out his name,” Salter said.

“(He’s) just something to pep us all up a bit more and remember Roscoe for the right reasons.”

They’ll do just that again tonight at 9pm when Roarforroscoe steps out from gate 10 in pursuit of a top six spot to secure qualification in the December 22 semi-finals.

They are one of 82 two-year-old hopefuls eager to claim one of the 48 places available and keep the flicker alive in the race to the spectacular New Year’s Eve Group 1 finals.

The pacing heats continue with the three-year-olds at Kilmore on Wednesday and the four-year-olds at Ballarat on Thursday.

CLICK BELOW TO LISTEN TO STEPHAN SALTER ON TROTS LIFE