Team Roscoe hopeful of seeing off 2022 with an almighty Roar

An exciting pacer and a late great mate will be cheered as one when Roarforroscoe takes his shot at Group 1 glory in tonight’s Ride High Vicbred Super Series final for three-year-old colts and geldings.

The Juanita Breen-trained youngster might go around at double-figure odds in his biggest assignment to date but is certainly one of the sentimental favourites on the blockbuster New Year’s Eve card at Melton.

Breen and Aaron Brown, who bred and owns a share in the horse, auctioned 10 per cent of him as part of the popular Harness Charity Challenge, which was snapped up by event 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 late friend and cousin Ross Patrick, who lost his battle with cancer in 2020.

The son of Betterthancheddar was subsequently named Roarforroscoe in honour of Patrick and a large fanbase has followed his every move.

“We’ve got Ross’s friends and family that follow the horse across Australia,” Salter said. “No matter where he runs, he gets a big following.

“Every time Roarforroscoe runs, it puts a smile on our faces knowing how much Ross would’ve loved the thought that not only are we all following a horse named after him, but we’re shouting out his name every race.”

The maturing version of Roarforroscoe is certainly exciting connections.

He produced arguably the most impressive performance of his career when thrashing rivals in a heat of the Vicbred series at Kilmore on December 15 and then qualified for the $130,000 final with a close-up fourth in a semi-final last week.

“We were just happy to have a horse win a race with Ross’s name, but to be a chance in the Vicbred Group 1 final is unbelievable, especially the day after Ross’s birthday,” Salter said.

“I dare say if he’s anywhere near them when the whips are cracking, you’ll be able to hear the roar across the land… and maybe a tear or two as well.”

The Avenel-based Breen is a long-time harness racing devotee but has never trained or driven a Group 1 winner. She gets her chance to break that elite level duck tonight when she leaves from barrier nine in a race jam-packed with talent.

Andy Gath-trained superstar Catch A Wave is the odds-on favourite, while semi-final winners Hes Charlies Angel and Heza Son Of Agun, as well as Hot Deal, are all respected in the market.

Breen said Roarforroscoe “could well end up being the best horse I’ve had” and believed the winner of six races had only recently started to furnish into “a proper racehorse”.

“And that’s coincided with being able to make a couple of gear changes on him that have made him a little bit more awake in the run,” Breen said.

“He’s always been very noise sensitive and I haven’t even been able to jog him without ears on at home.

“He’s got to the point where you can. He’s not entirely comfortable, but he’s at the point where you can do that and now I can put plugs on him that I can pull so he knows when ‘go time’ is.”