Ants sets out the dream path for little fighter Make Way should he keep stepping up

A smorgasbord of rich races awaits Lincoln Farms’ smart pacer Make Way if he can continue to step up this season.

The little fighter began his four-year-old season on a perfect note with his 1:51.7 mile at Menangle 10 days ago and steps out again there on Sunday over the longer trip of 2300 metres.

Drawn the outside of the gate, he’ll need some luck and Sydney trainers Sonya Smith and Anthony Butt say he’s still on the way up. But if he keeps progressing, his main aim will be the $200,000 Chariots Of Fire at Menangle on February 22.

His first test, should his form warrant a trip to Melbourne, could be the $100,000 Four-year-Old Bonanza at Melton on January 25.

And then there are the lead-up races to the Chariots back at home, the $50,000 Hondo Grattan Stakes on February 8 and the $50,000 Paleface Adios Sprint on February 15.

Butt says the horse first has to prove he’s up to the elite level but everything he’s done so far suggests he can be competitive in stronger company.

“He’ll need to go well to win on Sunday because he’s not at 100 percent yet. He’s come through his first run great, but he’s still a couple of runs away from his peak and the wide draw makes it a bit tricky.”

Make Way has won 10 of his 37 starts and A$105,854 in prizemoney.Butt says the draw is slightly negated by the 2300 metre trip which will give him more time to work into the race.

And if you analyse the stats, while gate five has seen clearly the most winners at Menangle in the last 12 months with 15.4% winners to starters, barrier 10 with 10%, surprisingly still leads gates one (9.3%), three (8.6%) and four (9.9%).

“I think he’ll go just as well if not better over 2300 metres,” says Butt. “Some of the horses here aren’t as good over 2300 but it won’t worry him, that’s the least of our worries.

“There are a few in the field who go well so it’s not a given for him on Sunday but I do expect him to go well.

“His work this morning was terrific.”

Sent over two heats, the first a quiet mile, Make Way ended with 2400 metres in 3:15 and Butt says “his last 200 was really good.”

“He looks fantastic and is thriving for Sonya as he always does. He’s her pride and joy and is exactly where we want him at this stage.”

The $20,400 Fred Borg Memorial that Make Way contests on Sunday is run at 7.03pm NZ time.

Butt himself will take the reins this time after junior Ryan Sanderson did the honours first-up, pushing his way out from the trail to cruise clear by 5.8 metres and claim only his second winner.

Make Way boasts a good strike rate of 10 wins from only 37 starts and A$105,854 for Lincoln Farms’ John and Lynne Street, Ian Middleton, Amy Myocevich, the Excell Syndicate, Bob Best, Duncan, John and Dave Chisholm and Warwick Orr.

Make Way races at 7.03pm NZ time at Menangle on Sunday.