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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Ray’s comments
Wednesday at Cambridge
Race 3: Spiritual Bliss
1.10pm
“You can’t fault what she’s done up here and she’s trained on really well since Manawatu. She seems to have a good motor and can carry her speed a long way. It’s a bit of a step-up on Wednesday, and she’s drawn out a bit, but she should be right in the fray.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lover
1.45pm
“It’s a huge drop in class for him on what he’s been racing. The Purdon horse Crippa Max looks the one to beat on his trial but I’m picking we’ll finish in the first three at worst. He’s very honest and does nothing wrong.”
Race 6: Lincoln Downs
2.55pm
“She got skittled early last time when one galloped in front of her, and that didn’t help. It would be nice to see her get a good trip, with no incidents, and see what she can do. She’s no superstar but she tries hard.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
4.31pm
“It’s his first race for more than four months and I’m picking he’ll need the run. It was a toss-up whether we went to the trials, but he’d probably have had no opposition, so it made sense to drop him in here. He’s training well and seems in good shape but whatever he does, he’ll improve on.”
