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.
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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.”
