Make Way will be in the party from the pole but Ants picks he’ll be half a run short
By Barry Lichter • 15 October 2020
Make Way had a sharpen up in a trial at Melton on Tuesday but he’s still expected to need the run when he resumes there on Saturday night.
Trainer Sonya Smith elected to give the horse a quiet trial after he missed a race two weeks ago with a bad cold and partner Anthony Butt just let him tootle along behind his rivals.
“They ran a bit of time so I just sat back and let him sprint home,” said Butt. “And he ran up the straight really well.”
No official time was taken in the four-horse heat won by January’s Mercury80 1200 metre dash winner Always Fast but the opposition was solid with runner-up Alice Kay the winner of her last two starts and third-placed Two Times Bettor a 13-race winner for Emma Stewart.
Make Way … there’s unlikely to be a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow this week.Make Way was last of the quartet, 11.5 metres from the winner but only a head from third at the line and closing nicely.
“We don’t normally trial our horses so close to a race but it was a good little hit out for him.
“He’s going to need the race on Saturday, because he hasn’t raced for so long - I’m picking he’ll be half a run short.
“It’s a pretty tough field but he should get a good run from one and I’m sure he’ll still go well.
“He has gate speed so I’ll come out and then weigh it up after that.”
Make Way hasn’t raced since June when he was sidelined with a lingering foot abscess and, just when he was ready to go again, he developed an inflamed throat soon after travelling to Melbourne.
But he has been a consistently good performer for Smith and Butt since arriving in Australia in January, 2019, winning 11 races and placing another eight times.
Make Way races at 10pm NZ time at Melton on Saturday night.
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Ray’s comments
Wednesday at Cambridge
Race 3: Spiritual Bliss
1.10pm
“You can’t fault what she’s done up here and she’s trained on really well since Manawatu. She seems to have a good motor and can carry her speed a long way. It’s a bit of a step-up on Wednesday, and she’s drawn out a bit, but she should be right in the fray.”
Race 4: Lincoln Lover
1.45pm
“It’s a huge drop in class for him on what he’s been racing. The Purdon horse Crippa Max looks the one to beat on his trial but I’m picking we’ll finish in the first three at worst. He’s very honest and does nothing wrong.”
Race 6: Lincoln Downs
2.55pm
“She got skittled early last time when one galloped in front of her, and that didn’t help. It would be nice to see her get a good trip, with no incidents, and see what she can do. She’s no superstar but she tries hard.”
Race 9: Leo Lincoln
4.31pm
“It’s his first race for more than four months and I’m picking he’ll need the run. It was a toss-up whether we went to the trials, but he’d probably have had no opposition, so it made sense to drop him in here. He’s training well and seems in good shape but whatever he does, he’ll improve on.”
