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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Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 4: Tyson
6.59pm
“He was tough again in winning last week. He’s trained on well, is in good shape, and should be right in it.”
Race 4: Sugar Ray Lincoln
6.59pm
“He’s finally getting his act together - he’s gone three good races in a row - and seemingly turned the corner. We’ve had a lot of (vet) work done on him, his feet in particular, and it’s paid off. There’s not much between him and Tyson.”
Race 5: Rivergirl Bella
7.23pm
“She’ll need everything to go her way from the draw. But she’s got a bit of speed. She’s getting there. She wasn’t very strong before and wasn’t tracking too well, but she’s driving right now.”
Race 5: Lincoln Linda
7.23pm
“She’s had a few issues, mostly mental ones, and is still a bit of a handful. It wasn’t very pretty last week but we’re slowly getting her under control. The outside draw might actually help her.”
Race 5: Angelic Copy
7.23pm
“She needs only a half decent trip to feature. She got held up a little bit in the straight at a crucial time last week and that was that.”
Race 6: Prince Lincoln
7.49pm
“He’s drawn the best of ours in three. He got cheated for a run last week. It’s hard to know where he’d have finished without that.”
Race 6: Lincoln Lover
7.49pm
“Ferg reckoned if he’d been able to hold up in the trail last week he would have won. He was very bullish about how he’d gone. The draw’s no help but he can do a bit of work. He’s an honest little guy who saves his best for when the money’s up on racenight.”
Race 6: Johnny Lincoln
7.49pm
“He got a bit keen last week but he should be a lot better this time. He’s still learning and he’s a slow learner. When he does things correctly he’s a pretty nice horse. Hopefully he can get a suck into it from the second row draw.”
