Promising stayer Speed Force blitzed his rivals in the time-honoured Carrick Plate at Mowbray on Wednesday night – and trainer Bill Ryan would have been disappointed with anything less.
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“That’s what I expected – he had to win that race easily to be any chance in the (Hobart and Launceston) cups,” Ryan said.
Given a gun run by David Pires, Speed Force loomed up to the leaders on the home turn then raced away in the straight to score by three lengths.
Ryan said his only concern was that the addition of blinkers – which he had hoped to save for later races – caused the horse to fire up early and over-race.
Speed Force had performed brilliantly at his first two starts this season in weight-for-age races but a lung infection interrupted his campaign.
Ryan was forced to bypass the Devonport Cup.
Third placegetter Geegees Brightstar was declared a non-runner after stewards ruled that he gained an unfair advantage at the start.
