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Roaring Rory Profile
Roaring Rory came to Ownaracehorse as a yearling. He was bought at Doncaster Sales in 2014 for the sum of GBP 3,000 and soon became popular after showing he was the sort of horse that loved to be out in the lead.
His top handicap rating of 67 wasn't the highest, but that really didn't matter as it was the way Rory ran for his shareholders that endeared him to his loyal band of followers. He would often come from behind and be finishing with a rattle, or he would streak to the front and battle to stay there.
Trainer Ollie Pears was once quoted in the horse's early days as saying 'He's so reliable, you could put me on board and he'd still finish in the first three!'
As well as winning six races, Roaring Rory, or 'Rory' as his shareholders called him, was also placed a total of fifteen times, meaning he finished in the first three in one-third of his races!
In early 2018 Rory almost died. During a standard win operation he suffered a complication and for a number of days it was touch and go. He spent over a month at the equine hospital in Malton. However, the gelding fought back from the brink and after 220 days away from the track he returned to record three placings and a win from his next six runs.
In his last few seasons Rory started to race from behind, often coming from well off the pace to be leading in the last few strides of his races. This only added to the warmth his shareholders felt for him, as wherever he was when the final furlong approached, he would still be holding a chance.
A memorable race was at Wolverhampton in February 2017 when he lost three lengths at the start, but ran right through the field to record a facile win. Also, his last win at Newcastle saw him find a way through a dozen rivals to get up in the last stride. On that day he beat his stablemate and best friend, Kroy, into second. The two horses had boxes next to each other in the Ollie Pears yard and always went into the paddocks together every day.
Rory was found a wonderful new home in Penistone in South Yorkshire where he is spending his retirement as a riding horse and is set to be taught show jumping.
Rory, above all, was simply a perfect gentleman.
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