TALENTED jockey Ben Allen improved his prospects of further rides for the Lindsey Smith stable after he rode Strike Force to a gallant victory in the $50,000 Woodford Cup at Warrnambool on Tuesday.
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Strike Force held on to defeat Civil Disobedience and Mortar Platoon in the 1700-metre race.
Allen told The Standard he was confident from the 600-metre mark that he would be hard to beat.
"I bounced out well from the barriers and got into a good position," he said.
"I had a great run through the race. I was really travelling at the 600-metre mark. Strike Force toed me into the race. I thought I was going to win easier. I could hear them coming at me near the finish line but my bloke was just too strong. He's a very fit horse."
Allen and Smith combined early in the day to win a maiden plate with Mystery Shot. The 20-year-old jockey revealed he would ride track-work for Smith at Warrnambool on Wednesday morning.
"Lindsey's a top trainer and he's got some very nice horses in work," he said.
"I'm hoping to pick up some more rides for his stable - if you put in the hard yards, Lindsey will give you the chances. I went and rode work at Colac for him the other day."
Maddie Raymond, stable foreman for Smith's Warrnambool operation, said Allen put in a 10-out-of-10 ride to win the cup.
"You could not fault Ben's ride," she said. "It's only the third run Strike Force has had for us. He's only been in our stable for two months."