Quick jaunt to NZ today before Ants and Make Way shoot for hat-trick at Penrith

Addington today, Penrith tomorrow - top driver Anthony Butt’s diary makes tiring reading.

But the Sydney horseman shrugs off the schedule as harness racing hots up leading in to cup week.

Butt has made a fleeting trip to Christchurch to get the feel of Line Up and Tough Monarch at today’s cup trials, prior to driving them on Tuesday in the Sires’ Stakes Final and NZ Trotting Free-for-all.

But he’s on a plane back to Australia straight away tonight as he and partner Sonya Smith have Lincoln Farms’ emerging talent Make Way entered at Penrith tomorrow night.

Make Way drops into a 2125 metre mobile at Penrith in a field devoid of much form that Butt describes as ideal to just keep him ticking over before his big battles later in the season.

With two impressive wins so far this season, and a good front line draw, the colt is sure to touch a short price even though six of his eight rivals have a higher national rating.

“It certainly looks a good race for him,” says Butt. “We want to look after him for as long as we can before we throw him in the deep end. And as he goes up in the grades it won’t be easy finding races away from the big stuff.”

Make Way, pictured winning the Redcliffe Derby, should lead from four on Thursday night. PHOTO: Michael McInally.Thursday night’s A$6630 event looks a walk in the park for Make Way who put away a much stronger field last time at Menangle, rating 1:57.2 for the 2300 metres.

Butt produced a copybook drive that day to clinch the win from the outside of the arm and from four here should easily get the top.

From there it should be a procession as the colt has good form on the country circuit with two wins, a second and a third from four starts.

“We know he handles the track and it will be a good stepping stone for him.

“We were going to wait for a race at Bankstown on November 22 but it would have been four weeks between runs and he came through that last run so well.”

Butt knows the Bankstown Cup (2540m) will attract a good field with its better than usual A$14,950 stake, but the up to rating 90 race will suit him perfectly.

Smith and Butt have done a sterling job since taking over Make Way last season. From 17 starts he has won eight times and along with three seconds, two thirds and a fourth has banked A$54,991 in stakes.

Make Way races at 9.30pm NZ time at Penrith on Thursday night.