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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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.”
