The family of the late Garry Rogers are continuing to race on multiple Tasmanian Country Cup winner Horatius Speculo, who has been installed as the $2.70 favourite for the $40,000 Horses ’N’ More Devonport Pacing Cup (2698m), which will be held in Launceston on Saturday night.
Rogers, a name well known across harness racing and the Australian motorsport scene, passed away last October at the age of 80.
He had great success racing horses in Tasmania, winning the 2006 Hobart Pacing Cup Final with Frame Grame, while Folsom Blues was runner-up to Persistency in the 2003 Tasmanian Pacing Championship.
His pacers were raced under the ‘Ulverstone’ name, acknowledging the town near the small rural community of Sulpher Creek, where he was brought up in Tasmania, before his family moved to Victoria at a young age.
Horatius Speculo, a four-year-old Art Major entire who is trained by Tammy Langley, has won nine of his 15 starts.
He will be looking for his sixth win in a row on Saturday after claiming the North Eastern Pacing Cup at Scottsdale on 9 January, where he ran his last mile in 1:56.6s at the end of 2692m, before backing that effort up winning the Burnie Cup on 18 January, where he got the race ran on his terms before outsprinting his rivals in a 27.7s final quarter in the state’s longest race over 2789m.
The two Cup wins have been the pacers only two standing start tries, leading on both occasions, although there were a few rough strides soon after the start at his most recent try.
“He was beautiful away at Scottsdale, and then at Burnie, another horse had to turn around when we were lining up, and I showed him the whip, instead of letting him step,” said driver Dylan Ford.
Ford believes the pacers record should read 14 wins from 15 starts if luck had been on his side.
“The only time he has been beaten fair and square was when he was first-up from a heart defibrillation. Other than that, he should be unbeaten if it wasn’t for me being too pretty on him, or he has had bad luck in running,” said Ford.
Ford expects the pacer to perform well in Saturday’s feature.
“The front line is similar to what he has been racing, but the handicapped horses are proven open class horses. But he still has to turn up on the day.
“Does he have to lead to win? No, is he better sat up? Yes,” said Ford.
Ford will be kept busy across both Saturday’s Launceston meeting and Sunday’s Hobart card, where he rates Wazza in the opening race of that program as his best winning chance of the weekend.
“He made good ground last start at Burnie, and he will be suited coming back to the mile trip.
