Force Red goes from 100/1 odds to favourite at Newcastle meeting

He’s been off the scene for a year, but the long and frustrating wait is set to strike pay dirt for connections of Force Red at Tuesday’s feature Newcastle meeting.

The talented and powerfully built three-year-old colt by speed sire Cosmic Force returns for only his second start in a competitive Maiden Plate over the flying 900m on a rain-affected surface.

Now homed in the Ciaron Maher stable at Warwick Farm, he hasn’t been seen since an eye-opening debut in the group 3 Breeders’ Plate at Randwick on September 30 last year.

That day on firm ground, Force Red made a mockery of his 100/1 starting price by chasing hard from just off the speed to finish just behind the place-getters and only a length from ultra-talented winner Espionage.

But as setbacks and false starts kicked in, he was forced into the spelling paddock for nearly four months before trialling well enough in late summer this year.

But things again didn’t go to plan while in the Peter Snowden camp, and a few months later, Force Red was journeying across Sydney to join the Maher stable.

Then five weeks back, the race switch was seemingly flicked when he produced the first of two strong trials, the latest just 18 days ago when he sat back off the speed and trucked through the line under a tight and impressive hold.

Force Red was all dressed up for a race return at Hawkesbury last week, but the meeting was called off when rain smashed the track.