Make Way is about to go past Dance For Glory, inner, at Menangle tonight. PHOTO: Ashlea Brennan.
Take a bow Ants, that drive on Make Way tonight was simply one out of the top drawer
By Barry Lichter • 27 October 2019
“I was just driving to instructions from the trainer.”
Top reinsman Anthony Butt modestly fended off plaudits for his copybook drive on Make Way tonight which saw him take out the A$20,400 Fred Borg Memorial at Menangle.
Despite shifting the kudos to his partner, trainer Sonya Smith, who is unbeaten in three starts with two horses this season, there was no denying Butt won the race for Make Way with his early move.
“I thought I’d take a shot from the outside of the gate because there were a few in the middle that I knew wouldn’t go forward,” said Butt.
“If you go back it makes it too hard because they’re so even here and they don’t stop. It’s a chance you have to take and sometimes it comes off.
“I came out hard and fast for the first 150 metres to see if I could slide in and, when that didn’t happen, I just mooched my way up quietly.
“It’s still tough doing that, as he had to do a bit of work for that first 600 metres, but I was lucky I got the one-one before the bell.”
Butt said Make Way, the consummate professional, dropped the bit as soon as he had the helmet of Dance For Glory to follow.
“And when I pulled him out at the top the straight he really dashed. We got past Dance For Glory easily enough but he kept fighting us right to the line.”
Make Way is holding well as Dance For Glory and Clarry come at him late.At the post Make Way had a neck margin on the 19-race winner but he was holding well and looked like he would still have been in front had the race been another 100 metres further.
Make Way was credited with a mile rate of 1:57.2 for the 2300 metres, with closing sectionals of 55.8 and 27.6.
“He pulled up great,” said Butt. “He’s so professional he doesn’t take anything out of himself.
“And it was a good run considering he’s not 100 percent fit yet. That run will do him good. We didn’t have him screwed right down so he’ll keep improving.
“He’s doing everything we want at the moment - he can’t do any more - but it will get harder for him now because he’s won good money in his last few starts.”
The Mach Three entire banked A$10,400 tonight, taking his new season earnings from only two starts to A$15,080.
Presentation time after the Fred Borg Memorial at Menangle today.“We’ll look after him though and won’t chuck him in the deep end until we have to.”
Butt said because it is only six days until the next Saturday meeting at Menangle, Smith will probably wait until the following week to run the horse again.
“We’ll just keep mooching through the season and work towards the feature races in the new year.”
Butt is hoping Make Way continues to step up - “he follows speed well so I don’t see why he won’t” - so they can target the big four-year-old features, culminating in the A$200,000 Chariots Of Fire at Menangle on February 22.
Make Way now boasts the fine record of 11 wins and 11 placings from 38 starts and A$116,254 in stakes for his enthusiastic owners John and Lynne Street, Ian Middleton, Amy Myocevich, the 10-strong Excell Syndicate, Bob Best, Duncan, John and Dave Chisholm and Warwick Orr.
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Ultra-consistent Kevin Kline sold to the United States: Why Ray’s sorry to lose him
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Nathan’s comments
Thursday night at Manawatu
Race 4: Spiritual Bliss
6.25pm
“She won well on the first day but pulled very hard - Harry said his arms were that tired afterwards he couldn’t have lifted a 1kg dumb bell. She’s meeting a few nice ones here, up in grade, but she’s drawn better so you can’t count her out. She tries hard and really digs in.”
Race 7: Lincoln Downs
7.50pm
“She did everything right on Tuesday but she blew heavily afterwards and I think the heat got to her. She’s a place chance if she recovers OK.”
Race 8: Lincoln Maree
8.22pm
“She was jumping shadows on Tuesday and moves to the last race this time but she’s not the most genuine so I’m not holding my breath.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 3: Lincoln Lover
6.28pm
“He hasn’t raced for three months but trialled really well. I pick he’s going to win one pretty quickly and, given he’s been running against the best two-year-olds in his previous preps, it should really be on Friday night. This lot of maidens aren’t in the same class and he’s as honest as they come, a tough little trier.”
Race 6: Debbie Lincoln
8.09pm
“She’s really up against it from the outside of the second line, with all the favourites drawn well. She has to be the unluckest animal on the planet. With her, what can go wrong will. Even at the best of times you need a reasonable draw to figure but drawn in the bondocks here she’ll need incredible luck.”
Race 8: Sugar Ray Lincoln
9.09pm
“He had a short break while some vet work was done but is in good trim. Yes, there are a few in here that are vastly higher rated but his formline says it all - it’s not often he doesn’t get a cheque.”
Race 8: Tyson
9.09pm
“He was a bit unlucky last week that he didn’t get to them a bit sooner otherwise I think he would have won. Maurice said he thought they’d come back to him more, going 2:39 speed, but his closing sectionals were easily the best in the race.”
Race 10: Prince Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s grown into a beautiful horse, a quality looking colt, and who knows what he could be. He’ll obviously improve with the run but I still expect him to run well from his good draw. He trialled very well behind a good one.”
Race 10: Johnny Lincoln
10.09pm
“He’s drawn a bit awkwardly in seven, which gives Prince Lincoln the edge, but he too was making good ground in the workout.”
