C’mon Tommy, you can do it! Sonya’s got good vibes for Menangle on Saturday night
By Barry Lichter • 14 February 2020
Another top five finish at Menangle on Saturday night and Make Way can qualify for the $200,000 Chariots Of Fire, says ace driver Anthony Butt.
Lincoln Farms’ little warrior with the stable name of Tommy lines up in the A$50,000 Paleface Adios Stakes (mobile 1609m), the final chance to force his place in next week’s big four-year-old finale.
And trainer Sonya Smith says she’s rapt with how Make Way came through his first tilt at the big guns last week when he powered home for fifth in the Hondo Grattan behind superstar Self Assured, clocking a spirited 1:51.01.
“Sonya gets the vibes and if she’s happy, I’m happy,” said Butt. “Even though he ran fast time he didn’t have a hard run last week and he’s bounced through it really well.
“I expect he’ll go every bit as well again.”
Butt fired Make Way out of the gate last week from six, the same draw he gets on Saturday night, but settled one place further back than he wanted, one out and two back.
“That one place makes a big difference. If I’d been one-one or in the trail he could have run a place. They can all come home in 26 so it’s hard to make up even a length.”
How they finished last week, Make Way running a brave fifth in 1:51.01.Butt’s assessment is spot on. The official times show the first eight home last week all broke 27 seconds. And Make Way’s final sectionals of 54.9 and 26.6 compared very favourably to those of the winner, Self Assured clocking 54.75 and 26.45.
Butt believes Make Way is actually best suited the faster they go - and the opening quarter last week was a brutal 25.8.
But he says it’s the second quarter which is the key, the extent to which they back off determining the eventual time of the race and whether back runners can get into it. Last week the speed slowed to 29.5 before they ripped home in 28.5 and 26.5.
“He was left a little flat-footed round the last bend but his last 200 metres was really good. The faster they go the better he’ll be.”
Butt says while Make Way is drawn awkwardly in six again there’s a bit more speed inside him in one, two and three, so he’ll go forward and try to slot in somewhere.
With the fastest fifth in the Hondo Grattan and Paleface Adios earning the 10th and final berth for the Chariots, Make Way can seal a place by running fifth again.
And if he can get to the starting line then Butt believes, with a good draw, he’d be a chance of getting some of the money.
“The draw makes such a big difference in these races because he’s racing at such a tough level.”
There’s no Self Assured to beat this time but the favourite, the Emma Stewart-trained Hurricane Harley, was best of Lochinvar Art and Self Assured’s rivals last start in the whirlwind 1:48.6 Four-Year-Old Bonanza at Melton.
Make Way races at 10.50pm NZ time at Menangle on Saturday night.
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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.”
