Make Way, comin’ through! Ants to blast out and take easy kill for Kiwi colt at Goulburn
By Barry Lichter • 28 April 2019
Make Way looks poised to win the easiest A$3600 of his life at Goulburn on Monday.
Lincoln Farms’ good three-year-old, who has paced two excellent races in far stronger company at Menangle in recent weeks, drops way down in grade and will be suited by the longer 2240 metre trip.
A four-race winner who has tackled some of the best three-year-olds in New Zealand with merit, Make Way meets a field comprising two maidens, one a 42-start failure, six horses who had won one race, including one who has had 71 attempts, and three horses who have won just two races at country tracks.
Drawn six on the front line, top horseman Anthony Butt plans to make an early assault for the lead and if he gets there it would be game over.
“There are a couple inside him who can get out but hopefully they’ll look at the tote and relent to him.
“But even if he doesn’t get there it doesn’t matter, he’s pretty adaptable.’’
Form pundits would say $1.50 would be good money for Make Way after his last two runs at Menangle where he has run the fastest sectionals despite drawing the second row and wide on the front.
Anthony Butt and partner Sonya Smith.Two starts back he made up a huge amount of ground to run second to the well regarded Typhoon Stride, clocking 55.9 for his last 800 metres, compared with the winner’s 57.1, pacing 1:53.85 and going under by just five one hundredths of a second.
Last time, on April 23, Butt’s plan to come out fast was wrecked when a rival broke.
“I had to take evasive action and ended up right at the back again.’’
Butt mounted a big run three wide at the 700 metre mark and was forced out five wide turning in when the ones in front of him failed to carry him into the race.
Make Way powered down the stretch to run a close fourth, clocking 55.87 and 27.73, again easily the fastest last 800 and 400 in the race.
His time of 1:52.84 was the quickest he has run since arriving in Australia - and that was achieved three, four and five wide, not against the markers.
“As soon as he gets a decent draw he’ll win one at Menangle,’’ says Butt.
“He’s run great from bad draws in good fields so hopefully he gets the job done on Monday.
“It’s never as easy as you think but Goulburn is a fair track and should suit him.’’
An anti-clockwise track, with a circumference of 1050 metres and a short home straight of 196 metres, Goulburn is well cambered. The track record for 2240 metres is a mile rate of 1:54.2 set by For A Reason in January, 2014.
But the three-year-old record mile rate of 1:58.8 looks well within Make Way’s grasp if the race is run to suit.
“He’s competitive every time he goes around,’’ says Butt. “He’s raced great all the way through, apart from the derby heat when he was crook.’’
In seven starts since joining Butt and his partner Sonya Smith, Make Way has built a formline of 2381224.
Make Way races at 4.12pm NZ time on Monday.
More news in Harness
Prince Lincoln finally shows what he’s made of - and, wow, was that a blazing demolition!
Hey Wendy and Amy, go easy of Fergs as he’s doing a sterling job taming Lincoln Linda
Third time lucky for Wave’s little bro Omaha Lincoln who finally debuts at Auckland
Copy N Paste a ‘tradesman’ but look for bold debut run at Cambridge on Thursday night
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
6.38pm
“I’m not sure where she’s at. It’s a big drop in class - there’s not much in there - but I don’t think she’ll morph into a star. She was hitting the sulky wheels last time and over-racing but that won’t happen again.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.36pm
“She paced roughly last time but we’ve done a bit of work on her since so she should be happier this time. It depends on the trip she gets (from four) but she’ll go an honest race. She’s no superstar, but she doesn’t miss many cheques.”
Race 8: Copy N Paste
8.45pm
“He’s dour and tradesman-like but he’s getting there. It’s his first time off the place, and the trip will improve him, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him competitive in what is a very weak field. Sometimes you don’t know what the Bettors Delights have got until they front up at the races but he trialled well and beat a couple who are against him here.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.53pm
“He actually tried last time. He’s a nice horse but can change his mind quickly. Full blinds woke him up last time so we’ll see if he responds to them again this time.”
Race 3: Omaha Lincoln
5.46pm
“I think he’ll go a good race but it’s his first time at Alexandra Park so I don’t want to talk him up too much. He’s got enough ability to win a race like this, whether he’s ready to do it, we’ll find out. He can get a bit keen at times but I think he’s a chance if he does everything right.”
Race 5: Spiritual Bliss
6.54pm
“It was another great run last time after leading and she’s a good, tough mare who will go another good race. What trip she gets will determine where she finishes. From five, I’m picking she might go back this time but I’ll leave that up to the driver (Harrison Orange).”
Race 6: Sharpe Stride
7.24pm
“He’s a nice trotter, a big strong colt. He can get a bit hot but there’s nothing wrong with how he goes. He’s certainly not good enough to deal with these but he’s there for a run around.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
8.57pm
“He’s racing in career-best form and they were struggling for runners so I put him in. He gets a starting fee of $1750 so we won’t go home empty-handed. I’m really happy with him, he’s handling right-handed racing better these days. But he’s racing the bear cats so I’m not suggesting for a second he’ll give them a fright.”
Race 10: Colonel Lincoln
9.25pm
“I thought he went super last time. It was a vast improvement on the previous two starts and you’ve got to remember he was out for a long time. He’s coming to it now and improving all the time. I couldn’t label him but I’d be surprised if he’s not in the first three or four. He’s trained on well and gets a front row draw.”
Race 10: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.25pm
“He was given too much to do last time - up to park at the bell - and you can’t drive the ears off them every time. With a more conservative trip he’d be right in it.”
