Ants looking for another big effort from Make Way at Menangle but Bonanza less likely
By Barry Lichter • 11 January 2020
Top horseman Anthony Butt will make a final decision on whether to take Make Way to Victoria for the Bonanza after he competes at Menangle tonight but the trip is looking less likely now.
Butt and trainer Sonya Smith were initially keen to tackle the first big four-year-old feature at Melton on January 25, so taken were they by his outstanding third against the topliners at Bathurst a couple of weeks ago.
But since then the All Stars’ new pinup Self Assured has gone to another level, dominating his rivals in the Auckland Cup and his trip to Australia has been confirmed, with his first two targets the Ballarat Cup on January 18 and the Bonanza a week later.
“There’s not much point going all that way to race Self Assured,” says Butt. ‘We won’t be beating him. I’ll wait to see how my fella goes tonight but I’m leaning to not going now.”
Anthony Butt with Make Way who should give another great sight from the inside draw tonight.Make Way’s luck held when the random barrier draw came out for Menangle tonight, landing his favourite pole position, from where Butt will be able to carve out his own luck again.
And while he meets a strong line-up of mostly higher rated runners, he is suited to the testing 2300 metres at Menangle after his recent top efforts over 2540m, 2555m and 2790m.
Whether Butt elects to stay in front or take a trail will depend on how much early pressure he gets, but either way he says he should be able to stay handy enough.
“There are some classy horses in there but hopefully we’ll be right there at the finish.”
Among his opposition tonight is former Lincoln Farms pacer King Of Swing, having his first start since moving from Perth, and the tough pacer Ignatius, who is a regular performer in strong Group races.
Butt says Make Way hasn’t missed a beat since running a close third to Alta Orlando and Our Uncle Sam in the Group II Shirley Turnbull Memorial at Bathurst, when he was caught in the shadows of the post.
“It didn’t knock him at all. I couldn’t be happier with him.”
Make Way’s main target this season is to qualify for the A$200,000 Chariots Of Fire on February 22 through the A$50,000 Hondo Grattan on February 8 and A$50,000 Paleface Adios a week later.
Make Way races at 11.18pm NZ time at Menangle on Saturday night.
More news in Harness
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
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
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.”
