Vo Rogue is without doubt one of Australia's most beloved racehorses. In the late 1980s and early 1990s Vo Rogue was the people's champion and star of The Vo Rogue Show that played to packed grandstands on Australia's best racecourses for five years. Vic Rail, Cyril Small, Jeff Perry and to a lesser degree Garry Roberts were the support acts.
It is over 30 years since Vo Rogue, or Vo to his family, friends and fans, last raced and a decade has passed since he crossed over the rainbow bridge. Absence makes the heart grow fonder and for the old and new fans of Vo that expression stands true. The horse is loved as much today as he ever was. His racecourse feats are replayed over and over again on Racing.com much to the delight of his legion of fans. Each year in March he is remembered for his sterling wins in two Australian Cups and his courageous seconds in the same race. Doing a Vo Rogue has become a catchcry for race callers across Australia when horses go out with big leads in races.
But Vo was more than just a racehorse, he was family to those that cared for him and loved him.
The story details how a small, gelded weanling of poor breeding initially called 'Erky' and purchased with the proceeds of a punt, blossomed into a superstar racehorse who took on the best and most valuable horses in the country and made them look second rate. This is a love story between the horse and his senior part-owner Jeff Perry. It is also a story of the solidarity of one man for his mates whose individual talents he respected and trusted despite some tumultuous moments in their relationships.
For some, the story continued well after Vo retired and so this book moves beyond Vo's racing days and follows the lives of his connections and their trials and tribulations as they navigated life without their superstar galloper by their sides. And finally, this book is not just a story about horse racing, it is a story about, life, death, resilience, the undying love for a horse, and the story a friendship between two men that has lasted for close to 40 years.
