Make Way, pictured winning the Redcliffe Derby, is perfectly primed for Saturday’s South East Derby. PHOTO: Michael McInally.
Ants and Sonya have Make Way 110% ready - bring on the derbies
By Barry Lichter • 12 July 2019
Top horseman Anthony Butt knows it will be hard for Make Way to beat the best in Queensland in the next couple of weeks but he says the little colt is 110% for the job ahead.
Lincoln Farms’ warrior, who has won eight races this season, six for Butt and his partner Sonya Smith, tackles Saturday night’s A$31,000 South East Derby and next week’s A$100,000 Queensland Derby with an impeccable form line.
“We haven’t had one hiccup in the run up to this carnival and he’s just got a little bit better each time.
“We’ve looked after him, poked round in races he could win to get his confidence up and haven’t put him in any dogfights.
“He’s come out of every race feeling good and when I worked him yesterday he felt terrific.
“The next two weeks will be a big test for him but he’s one of the top four chances on Saturday.
“I thought his Redcliffe run was great (he clocked a 1:57 mile rate in winning the 2040 metre Redcliffe Derby) and while his win last week was in lesser company he was pretty dominant. (He scored by nearly 20 metres in a 1:53 mile rate).”
Anthony Butt … master tactician.Butt was pleased when Make May drew four on the front line in the South East Derby, while race favourite Self Assured and Lincoln Farms’ other runner Trojan Banner landed the second line.
He also has the All Stars’ second string Jesse Duke drawn outside him in five.
But that doesn’t mean Butt, a master tactician, will be blasting forward and attempting to lead.
“We won’t be able to cross Lochinvar Art, he’s a superstar and is very quick out of the gate. I’ll just be sliding across for a position and I can see three back on the outer being the best case scenario.
“Self Assured will come round at some time and I just hope not too many others do as well.
“It mightn’t be a bad thing that Lochinvar Art is in the race or Mark’s pair could have dominated. But I can see they’ll be in for a fight as well now. From two, Lochinvar Art will be the leader and he’ll take some catching.”
If anyone needed any reminding of the ability of the Modern Art three-year-old, who has finished top three in every one of his 23 races, it came in the NSW Breeders’ Challenge Final at Menangle on June 30.
After burning off the arm and all but holding Max Delight to the first turn, in an opening quarter of 25.8, Lochinvar Art trailed on a hot speed.
But there were no gaps in the run home and he spent most of the home stretch going sideways, angling off heels, ending up five wide before finding clear air and sprinting home to fail by half a neck to catch Rockin Marty. A certainty beaten, he clocked a staggering 1:50.83 for the mile.
More news in Harness
Friday night’s main event: In the blue corner, Tyson, in the red corner, Sugar Ray
After 40 years in the sulky, Fergie’s just loving his renaissance in the lincoln green silks
Big-spending Mike Tanev snares The Rascal and he’s off to Canada next week
Dreams Of Eric goes from black and blue to blue and white, now for Harness 5000
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
