Barrier draw 12 the kiss of death but Make Way can still go close in final derbies lead-up
He’s got a horror barrier draw but top driver Anthony Butt still expects Make Way to go close at Albion Park on Friday night.
Butt chose an easy option for the Redcliffe Derby winner as a lead-in to next week’s South East Derby but drew widest on the second row over only 1660 metres.
And the tale of the tape at Albion Park tells just how difficult it is to win from gate 12 with just 21 of the 346 horses who have tried this season overcoming it.
“It’s certainly hard over a mile from anywhere on the back row,’’ says Butt.
“If you get into the three wide line and it doesn’t keep progressing, you’re in trouble. It happened to me yesterday driving one of Tim’s horses, Superbass. He was the best horse in the race but couldn’t get into it.
“But we should still be hard to beat on Friday. He’s got a bit of class and all things being equal if he’s going to be competitive in the derby he’ll go close. This race (for rating 61 to 67 horses) is a bit easier than others he could have gone in.’’
Butt says Make Way has recovered really well from his winning run at Redcliffe where he sat parked for the last 1200 metres and still ran the fastest mile rate of the night for the distance range, 1:57, which was better than Clarkey took in the c6 and faster event.
“I nearly raced him again last week but decided to give him a bit longer and I didn’t want to go three weeks between races. He needs another run to be 110 percent for next week.’’
Make Way’s two big assignments in the next fortnight are the A$31,000 South East Derby and A$100,000 Queensland Derby.
“This will give him a nice hitout for next week, keep him ticking over, and then he should be at peak for the Grand Final.’’
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Mark Dux’s comments
Saturday night at Albion Park
Race 4: Argyle
10.09pm NZ time
“Hell go into the race as one of the favourites for sure and he’ll get a nice trip whether we lead or trail and he should finish top three again. We’ll come off the gate well and hopefully be good enough to hold Alta Magacian beside us. But even if he crosses us, that’s not a bad scenario, as he’s a decent horse who should get us to the corner.”