Make Way, arrowed, is snookered behind a wall of horses last week.
Ants: Make Way ‘pushed them over the line’ last week but now he’s drawn the car park
By Barry Lichter • 22 October 2020
Make Way was dead unlucky at Melton last week, never getting a crack at his rivals, but his extreme outside draw on Friday night threatens to again take him out of play.
Top horseman Anthony Butt, partner of trainer Sonya Smith, had been expecting the horse to be half a run short last week, resuming from a four-month break and a recent cold.
Butt never got to find out just how fit the horse was, however, when after first trailing, then racing three deep on the markers, Make Way became pocketed and was blocked for a run all the way down the home straight.
“It was a shame as he got a good run but didn’t get out at any stage,” says Butt.
“He pushed them over the line. He felt really good and was only jogging at the finish.
“But it could have been a blessing as he didn’t have a hard run first-up.”
Make Way ended up ninth, behind a wall of horses, 8.6 metres from winner Out Of Play, who clocked a mile rate of 1:53.4.
Brad Chisholm … drives Make Way.He backs up on Friday night in the opening sprint over 1720 metres, eligible for the race with claiming junior Brad Chisholm in the cart.
Butt’s junior Ryan Sanderson would have been the pilot but he was hurt in a bad smash at Charlton on Monday, airlifted to hospital with internal bleeding.
“Thankfully Ryan’s all right but it’s a shame for him that he can’t be on the horse as he won on him in his only previous drive.
“But I’m sure Brad will do a good job. He has a lot of experience and has driven a few winners for us before.”
Butt will drive stablemate Wolf Stride, the hot favourite courtesy of his excellent two draw, but says there’s not much between the two horses.
“They’re on a par but Wolf Stride will be very hard to beat from two. He won a Group I in the autumn and he’s the best up-and-coming horse in the stable. He won seven in a row earlier in the year.”
Butt says Make Way’s task will be tough from seven against a couple of handy horses but in a field no harder than the previous week.
“Possibly he could blast out but I’ll have a talk to Brad and we’ll do some study on the form. We’ll have to see how much speed there is inside him.
“But Brad won’t really know what to do ’til the gate leaves. The horse has good gate speed without being blistering.
“He’ll have to decide if he can mooch forward. It’s hard when you go back because you then have to rely on tempo. And he’s going super so we don’t want to see him get too far back.”
Butt reports Make Way’s work has been great since last week’s run.
“If he can get some money from out wide that would be good.
“The draw has killed our hopes a bit but you never know …”
Make Way races at 7.33pm NZ time at Melton on Friday night.
More news in Harness
Spiritual Bliss and Lincoln Maree add to Lincoln Farms’ gallery of Manawatu heroes
Video clue on why Lincoln Lover is tipped to go boldly fresh-up at Auckland on Friday night
A picture of Bliss but poor Harry’s arms were nearly pulled out of their sockets
Ultra-consistent Kevin Kline sold to the United States: Why Ray’s sorry to lose him
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
