Make Way drops well down in grade at Bankstown tonight. PHOTO: Ashlea Brennan.
Enthusiastic Make Way in the right form to overcome bad draw at Bankstown tonight
By Barry Lichter • 20 December 2019
Make Way looks well placed to regain his winning form line when he lines up in the fourth race at Bankstown tonight.
Trainers Sonya Smith and Anthony Butt made a late decision to start the little warrior when he started tearing round the paddock, so full of himself they feared he might hurt himself.
“We turned him out for a day or two after the Cranbourne Gold Cup and were going to give him a week off but he’s just so well and we thought it better to give him a race,” said Butt.
Make Way raced right up to his best in the Group II Cranbourne event, finishing a close up sixth, and drops well down in grade tonight.
“It won’t be easy drawn the outside of the second row over the sprint distance but he’s got a bit of class so he’ll be hard to hold out.”
Bookies have Make Way a red hot $1.40 favourite to score his fifth win from six starts this time in.
Safely through tonight, Butt says Make Way could contest the A$50,000 Shirley Turnbull Memorial, a Group II race over 2790 metres at Bathurst on Boxing Day.
“It will be a strong field of open free-for-allers but he’ll draw well. We’ll just see how he goes tonight.”
Make Way races at 10.02pm NZ time at Bankstown tonight.
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Our runners this week
Friday night at Auckland
What’s Up The Hill.
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Tuesday twilight at Manawatu
Race 3: Onyx Shard
5.09pm
“She’s working really well and, from the good draw, hopefully she can run a drum. The field’s not that much harder than the one she beat last time at Manawatu (when parked for the last lap).”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
5.09pm
“We’re very happy with him - he’s come back a better horse. He went well at Auckland last start and is working well. We’ll be looking to go forward from the gate and hopefully get a gun run through behind Onyx Shard. On ability, he’s the better chance of the two.”
Race 4: Leo Lincoln
5.39pm
“He stepped like a bullet in his first go from a stand here in March. I thought he’d do the same on the second day but he galloped. We’ve got an overcheck on and hopple shorteners on Tuesday so he should make a good beginning. If he can step and lead, then maybe take a trail, he should be hard to beat. He likes it down there where the track is quite soft.”
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 3: Onyx Shard
6.04pm
“I thought I had Kevin Kline covered on Tuesday when we got to the straight because she was really travelling but he kicked away on us. It would be nice if she can get out of the gate as well again - she has good gate speed - and, if she does, she can get some of it again.”
Race 3: Kevin Kline
6.04pm
“He was too good for them on Tuesday, thanks to a great Fergy drive, and he’s in the same field again this time. The extra distance and wide draw shouldn’t make much of a difference and he’s our best of the night.”
Race 5: Leo Lincoln
7.02pm
“He’ll be hard to beat again if he steps like he did on Tuesday. The 10 metre handicap shouldn’t stop him. I think he’s even better if he follows something and the extra 500 metres isn’t a worry.”
