The roar for Roscoe is getting louder

A maturing version of Roarforroscoe (Betterthancheddar) is exciting harness racing trainer-driver Juanita Breen, who believes the untapped youngster is finally starting to develop the race craft needed to excel on the track.

Roarforroscoe showcased his class with a performance in a heat of the three-year-old colts and geldings’ Vicbred Super Series that has many sitting up and taking notice.

Roarforroscoe was involved in a prolonged early speed battle at Kilmore last week, and despite having to back out and settle for a spot midfield in the running line, was still able to produce a devastating finale to win the race by 16.4m.

The late sectionals were nothing outstanding, but the way he dispatched his rivals signals him as a major player in the series.

The win was the sixth in a 16-start career that looks destined to continue on an upward spiral.

“I reckon it’s only probably the last couple of runs that I’d really say that he’s furnished 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, from Avenel, 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.”

Despite her confidence and belief in the horse, Breen remains low-key – at least publicly – about his prospects in the Vicbred decider on New Year’s Eve.

A tricky barrier draw of 13 in this Friday night’s semi-final means Breen is only looking as far as qualifying for the $130,000 final on December 31.

“Given that we’ve drawn 13, making the final would be pretty good,” she said.

“When you get to that level there’s not a lot between a lot of those horses. As was shown in his Breeders Crown final, a lot of it comes down to barrier draws and luck in running.

“If you took Captain Ravishing out of that field, any one of the others could have won that. Give him the run some of the others had, he’d have finished a lot closer (than eighth).

“That’s the main game – there’s no point making a plan for the final if you’re not in it.”

Roarforroscoe is a special pacer to those involved in his ownership.

Breen and Aaron Brown, who bred and own a share in the horse, auctioned 10 per cent of him as part of the 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 great mate and cousin Ross Patrick, who lost his battle with cancer and whom Roarforroscoe is named after.

“I think after the performance last week, he could well end up being the best horse I’ve had,” Breen said.

“Ability-wise he probably measures up to horses that I class as the best horses I’ve had, but he’s still only won six races so he’s got a long way to go to catch a few others.

“He’s three so he’s got a long life ahead of him.”

The top six horses in each of Friday night’s semi-finals at Melton – across all two, three and four-year-old pacing divisions – qualify directly for Group 1 finals at the same track on December 31.

Roarforroscoe will step out in race six at 7.33pm.

For complete race entries, click here.

by Tim O’Connor, for HRV