Make Way back in the money after long absence - and Ants has taken back the reins
By Barry Lichter • 16 August 2021
Make Way’s back - doing what he does best, winning money on the racetrack.
The little tradesman had his first race for eight months at Mildura last Friday night and showed all his old courage to finish second in the feature $12,000 pace.
It was his first start for young trainer Tayla Nicholson and her partner Zac Phillips but the following day the horse returned to the care of top horseman Anthony Butt, who recently relinquished his role as private trainer for Emilio Rosati.
Make Way did everyone proud in his resumption, junior driver Michelle Phillips slotting him into the one-one before mounting a three wide challenge 800 metres from home.
“It was a very good effort, given it was his first run for a long time,” said Butt of Make Way who earned an A$1800 cheque.
“They walked early and only got trucking from the bell, sprinting home in 55.6 off the front, which is very quick round Mildura.”
Anthony Butt … back training Make Way.Make Way’s effort, three wide with no cover, to get within 1.9 metres of winner Foolish Pleasure, was even more impressive given the leader had things all his own way.
“He was a bit tired on Saturday so I’ll give him this week off and he can race again at Melton on Saturday week.”
Butt believes it won’t take long for Make Way to reach full fitness - though it will be harder now to find suitable races for him.
“He’s on an awkward mark now (rating 86) so it will be harder to place him in the country - but the Mildura race was perfect and had an A$12,000 stake.
“It was good to get that race into him before throwing him in the deep end because he’s now only one or two levels down from the free-for-all horses.”
Butt, however, believes Make Way showed enough before all his problems to suggest he can be competitive further up the grades.
“There’s no reason why he can’t have a good run now that he’s hopefully over everything.”
Incredibly, for a horse who was once seldom out of the money, Make Way has not saluted the judge since January, 2020.
First he took some time to get over being gelded, then he had a lingering foot abscess, a virus, then he fractured a sesamoid bone when copping interference in his last race.
“The break seems to have done him good,” says Butt.
“He’s a different horse this time in, he seems a lot happier.”
That will be music to the ears of his owners, Amy Myocevich, the Excell Syndicate, Bob Best, Duncan, John and Dave Chisholm, Warwick Orr, John and Lynne Street and Ian Middleton.
More news in Harness
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Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Bang! Lincoln Wave’s tyre blows out, startling rival drivers but Alabar win would shock more
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
