Vo Rogue
Encyclopedia
Vo Rogue is an Australia
n Thoroughbred
racehorse
. He was sired by American-bred
Ivor Prince whose racing career ended from injury after just two starts. Ivor Prince was a son of the British champion Sir Ivor
who won the 1968 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby
. His American damsire, Dignitas, was a multiple stakes winner in the United States and was a son of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
inductee, Round Table
.
Vo Rogue was a successful front-running racehorse who thrilled Australian racegoers by setting up massive leads in his races, and defying the opposition to catch him. The bay gelding was trained by Vic Rail, and ridden by Cyril Small for 22 of his 26 wins. He was also ridden on at least two occasions by John Scorse who rose to prominence as the jockey of Placid Ark
.
Vo Rogue was successful in Brisbane
, Sydney
, and Perth
, but was at his best in Melbourne
, particularly in the autumn, with the hard and fast tracks very much to his liking (he was controversially scratched from the Cox Plate
in 1988 because Rail considered he was hopeless in any kind of rain-affected going). He dominated the weight-for-age races at the autumn carnivals of 1988, 1989, and 1990, defeating such outstanding horses as Campaign King and the Cox Plate
winners Bonecrusher
, Super Impose
, Our Poetic Prince, and Better Loosen Up
. He was successful from the William Reid Stakes
(1,200 metres) to the Australian Cup
(2,000 metres), and won various races in between, including the C F Orr Stakes
(1,400 metres), the Blamey Stakes
(1,600 metres), and the St George Stakes
(1,800 metres).
In total, Vo Rogue won 26 races from 83 starts, including six Group One races, and a further five which now carry Group One status. His name has also entered Australian racing folklore, regularly summoned by racecallers and fans alike who speak of horses setting up "Vo Rogue-style" leads.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n Thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
. He was sired by American-bred
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Ivor Prince whose racing career ended from injury after just two starts. Ivor Prince was a son of the British champion Sir Ivor
Sir Ivor
Sir Ivor was an American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse who competed from a base in Ireland. Owned by American businessman and U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, Raymond R...
who won the 1968 2,000 Guineas and Epsom Derby
Epsom Derby
The Derby Stakes, popularly known as The Derby, internationally as the Epsom Derby, and under its present sponsor as the Investec Derby, is a Group 1 flat horse race in Great Britain open to three-year-old thoroughbred colts and fillies...
. His American damsire, Dignitas, was a multiple stakes winner in the United States and was a son of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame was founded in 1950 in Saratoga Springs, New York, to honor the achievements of American thoroughbred race horses, jockeys, and trainers...
inductee, Round Table
Round Table (horse)
Round Table was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame racehorse. He is considered the greatest turf horse in American racing history. He was foaled at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, on the night of April 6, 1954...
.
Vo Rogue was a successful front-running racehorse who thrilled Australian racegoers by setting up massive leads in his races, and defying the opposition to catch him. The bay gelding was trained by Vic Rail, and ridden by Cyril Small for 22 of his 26 wins. He was also ridden on at least two occasions by John Scorse who rose to prominence as the jockey of Placid Ark
Placid Ark
Placid Ark was an Australian thoroughbred foaled in Western Australia. His sire Arkenstone was a winning son of the Western Australian champion sire Zvornik and his dam was Northern Queen a mare bred in South Australia by the USA imported stallion Star of the North.Bred at Asprey Stud near...
.
Vo Rogue was successful in Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
, Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
, and Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, but was at his best in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, particularly in the autumn, with the hard and fast tracks very much to his liking (he was controversially scratched from the Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...
in 1988 because Rail considered he was hopeless in any kind of rain-affected going). He dominated the weight-for-age races at the autumn carnivals of 1988, 1989, and 1990, defeating such outstanding horses as Campaign King and the Cox Plate
Cox Plate
The W.S. Cox Plate is an Australian Group 1 Thoroughbred horse race held in Melbourne every October by the Moonee Valley Racing Club to honour W.S. Cox, the club's founder. For three-year-olds and over, the race is considered to be the Weight for Age championship of Australasia...
winners Bonecrusher
Bonecrusher (horse)
Bonecrusher Is a retired champion New Zealand Thoroughbred racehorse who was widely admired in both Australia and New Zealand. Bred by Bill Punch, his dam's sire was a son of a French champion, Tantieme. Bonecrusher was purchased by Peter Mitchell for just $3,250 at the Waikato Yearling Sales,...
, Super Impose
Super Impose
Super Impose was a New Zealand bred Thoroughbred racehorse who was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame. In a career spanning 74 starts, Super Impose won eight Group One races and a then Australasian record $5.6 million in prize money...
, Our Poetic Prince, and Better Loosen Up
Better Loosen Up
Better Loosen Up was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Japan Cup in 1990 and was named Australia's champion racehorse in 1991. He campaigned from two to seven years of age, and won 17 of his 45 starts, including eight Group One races...
. He was successful from the William Reid Stakes
Australia Stakes
The William Reid Stakes, formerly Australia Stakes, is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1200 metres at Moonee Valley Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Prizemoney in 2010 was A$500,000....
(1,200 metres) to the Australian Cup
Australian Cup
The Australian Cup is a Group 1 Weight for Age race for Thoroughbred racehorses run over 2000 metres, at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Australia in March...
(2,000 metres), and won various races in between, including the C F Orr Stakes
C F Orr Stakes
The C F Orr Stakes is a Group 1 Australian thoroughbred horse race at Weight for Age, run over a distance of 1400 metres at Caulfield Racecourse, Melbourne in February. Prizemoney in 2010 is A$400,000...
(1,400 metres), the Blamey Stakes
Blamey Stakes
The Blamey Stakes is a Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race open run at Set Weights with Penalties over 1600 metres, at Flemington Racecourse in March each year.-Race history:* From 1955 to 1980 the race was run at Weight for Age....
(1,600 metres), and the St George Stakes
St George Stakes
The St George Stakes is a Group 2 Australian Thoroughbred horse race held under weight for age conditions, for horses aged two years old and upwards, over a distance of 1800 metres. It is held at Caulfield racecourse in Melbourne every February. Total prize money is A$200,000.-Distance:1900 -...
(1,800 metres).
In total, Vo Rogue won 26 races from 83 starts, including six Group One races, and a further five which now carry Group One status. His name has also entered Australian racing folklore, regularly summoned by racecallers and fans alike who speak of horses setting up "Vo Rogue-style" leads.