Forget Make Way galloped last week. He’s a bright prospect if he gets into the right race at Melton on Saturday night.
Ants’ riddle: If Make Way doesn’t get back in at Melton, he’s a big winning chance. Pardon?
By Barry Lichter • 29 October 2020
You don’t often hear a trainer say they have their fingers crossed their horse doesn’t make a field after being balloted out.
But that’s exactly what trainer Sonya Smith and driver Anthony Butt are hoping with Make Way at Melton on Saturday night.
Make Way is first emergency for the fifth race where, in a capacity field, he has drawn terribly in seven, on the outside of the gate.
But should he not regain the field he can start in the opening race, against just five other rivals who also didn’t make the cut.
And while that consolation race is worth just half the money, at $10,000, it is vastly easier, and Make Way would start from four on the gate from where he might be able to fly straight to the front and dictate.
“He’d be a real good show in the first race,” says Butt. “And that’s why I’m hoping he doesn’t get back into the other race as he has to start there if he does.
“He wouldn’t be out of it in the harder race either but from seven it would make it tough.”
Butt is delighted with how Make Way has trained this week and says the horse is going much better than his form line of 999 would suggest.
“The horse had no show last week when he went back and they walked and sprinted.”
Butt knows only too well about that because he was driving the leader, red hot favourite and eventual winner Wolf Stride, while Make Way was handled by junior claimer Brad Chisholm.
Make Way actually galloped turning for home but it wasn’t the horse’s fault, more that Chisholm was intent on holding his ground while the driver inside him was trying to push him out.
“The race was a non event for Make Way really but he’ll be right this week. Even if he doesn’t lead I should be able to stay handy to the pace.”
If Make Way doesn’t get back into race five at Melton he will start in the opener at 7.56pm NZ time on Saturday night.
Make Way is first emergency in race five, timed for 10.10pm NZ time.
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.”
