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.
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.”
