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.
More news in Harness
Johnny Lincoln’s big ticker will stand to him in the States and Lover’s also sold to Aussie
No Jumals to beat this time at the Park so Ray’s looking for Lincoln Wave to roll in
Lincoln Linda best of the night at Cambridge - she has the engine to cross Soul Artist
Cheapie Johnny Lincoln a “proper” racehorse who can foot it with the Million bluebloods
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.44pm
“She did well here last time as she had to do a bit to get to the lead and she dug in and fought on. She’s certainly a chance if she repeats that effort.”
Race 4: Lincoln Linda
7.09pm
“I thought she went super last time after doing a lot of work. She can do that because she has an engine and is tough. She’s a bit one-dimensional - you have to turn her loose early - but from the two draw she should be able to lead and that’s where she does her best work.”
Race 5: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.34pm
“I think he’s a bit stronger after his spell. It’s not a great field - most will die on that mark - and I don’t see a problem with the standing start as he’s nicely gaited. He could be marginally unfit after three months out but he’s done quite a bit of work and I can see him going a half-decent race.”
Race 6: Lincoln Maree
7.59pm
“She had every chance last time but I can’t see why she won’t go well again. She’s as honest as they come and tries like hell.”
Race 7: The Night Fox
8.29pm
“You’d think he’d lead easily from the inside. He’s had bad draws and still got the money, so I’m sure he’ll go another good race. I’m surprised they sold him so cheaply. He’s better than people think.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Lincoln Wave
5.09pm
“With the trip he got in the Harness Million I thought he’d have run on a lot better. But he was still a bit short on fitness and sometimes we can expect too much of these horses, he was racing the best, after all. It’s a big drop in grade here and he’s a pretty fair horse.”
Race 1: Leo Lincoln
5.09pm
“He’s an honest sort who’s in a good space but he won’t get a wonderful trip from the outside of the gate this time so I’m not holding my breath.”
Race 3: Sammy Lincoln
6.04pm
“He’s training down well but you never know what he’s going to do. You think you’ve got him sorted and he does something silly. But we know if the real Sammy turned up, he’d be very hard to beat as he’s got a lot of speed.”
Race 5: Prince Lincoln
7.05pm
“He’s another where you don’t know which one will turn up but we’ve gelded him since his last run, so we’ll see if that helps. He trained well the other day.”
