Roscoe on target

By John Dunne (HRV)

JUANITA Breen is hoping last Saturday night’s impressive Metropolitan Pace Final winner Roarforroscoe can deliver her harness racing bucket list.

Roarforroscoe ($6) made a sustained three wide run without cover for last 900 metres of the race joining the $2.40 favorite Beach Memories on the final bend and fought on resolutely in the home straight to score by a neck, at Tabcorp Park Melton.

The 48-year-old Breen revealed after the race, of a long-time ambition in the sport.

“I want to win a Group 1 before I turn 50,” Breen said.

“I don’t care which horse but he’s the most likely suspect,” she said.

Breen came within three metres of achieving her goal when the son of Betterthancheddar finished runner up behind Catch A Wave in last year’s Group 1 Vicbred Super Series (3YO Colts & Geldings) Final.

“He really ripped some ground off Catch A Wave over the last 400 metres after being three back along the pegs,” she said.

“He’s got a motor but I’m not sure he knows he’s got one or knows how to use it.”

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Meanwhile Shane Sanderson’s decision to race Vanquish Stride ($26) out of his class was vindicated when the five-year-old ‘dive-bombed’ his rivals along the sprint lane in the Blacks A Fake Free For All.

There was a hint of confidence emanating from the stable pre-race when Sanderson indicated the son of Bettors Delight was ‘a sneaky chance from the pole’ and the race panned out to script for the Charlton based trainer.

Vanquish Stride settled three back along the pegs as the leader Huli Nien was allowed to stride freely throwing a 27.6 back straight quarter at his rivals and the five-year-old hugged the pegs scoring by a neck from the well backed leader in a slick mile rate of 1:52.

The win provided a 20th birthday present for Ryan Sanderson who acknowledged the race couldn’t have unfolded any better.

“It’s the best birthday present- he got the dream run into it and that’s what we were really hoping for and it just all worked out,” Sanderson said.

“We bumped him up in grade so he could draw the one and he’s really good on the fence, he’s a bit of an opportunist if they roll along like they did tonight,” he said.

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Outstanding trotting mare Queen Elida made it seven wins from her past eight starts when she outclassed her rivals in the Group 3 Hip Pocket Workwear Matriarch Trot and driver Chris Alford was quick to rank her with the best he has driven.
“She’s as good as any trotter I’ve driven and the beautiful gate she’s got makes it extra good,” Alford said.
Alford also believes the daughter of Love You has the credentials to follow in the footsteps of Just Believe and prove competitive on the world stage in Sweden.
“I think if she got the chance she wouldn’t let herself or any of us down, that’s for sure,” he said.

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A gear malfunction didn’t prevent emerging three-year-old Final Collect from completing a hat trick of wins in the Happy 60th Jeff Ewing 3YO Pace.

Final Collect pulled out from midfield in the running line to stake its claim with 500 metres to travel and driver Jackie Barker tried in vain to release the ear plugs around the home turn however the Lance Justice trained pacer defied all challenges in the home straight.

Barker said she was concerned when the ear plugs failed to release.

“I was really worried because I couldn’t get the plugs out of him, they go hooked up somewhere and I was worried because he is so blocked up with his eyes if that horse got to him he might not have realised it as much,” Barker said.

“Tonight gave me that positive feeling that he can do a bit of work, two 27 quarters to run home in and he was three wide and I really like the way he hit the line and kept fighting all the way to the end.”