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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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.”
