Make Way rushes home down the outer to run second in today’s trial at Menangle.
Relief for Ants and Sonya: Make Way’s finally back and he’s off to race in Melbourne
By Barry Lichter • 23 September 2020
Three months of frustrations finally look to be over for the connections of talented pacer Make Way.
When the four-year-old stepped out at today’s Menangle trials, it was his first run since June but you wouldn’t have known it the way he dashed up the home straight to run second to speedy pacer One Hell Of A Ride.
Driver Anthony Butt (wearing the Rosati colours of yellow and light blue diamonds) crossed from nine on the gate to be fourth on the markers and said the horse travelled well throughout.
“And when I pulled out in the straight he zipped up well.”
The winner was clocked to run the mile in 1:54.4, closing his last half in 55.8 and quarter in 27.3.
“These trials are often like a week’s work because they go so fast but that was just perfect for him today.
“He seems to be over all his hiccups now and the plan is to take him to Melbourne with a team next week.
Anthony Butt with Make Way at Menangle.“There are no trials here next week so we’ll either give him a private trial or trial him when we get to Melbourne.
“There are some good races for him there in his grade, whereas here he’d be thrown into the free-for-alls.”
Butt said he and trainer Sonya Smith felt sorry for Lincoln Farms and its partners in Make Way over the setbacks the horse has endured in the last three months.
After weakening out in a 1:50.9 mile on June 13, it was discovered the horse had a foot abscess which lingered for weeks.
“It just wouldn’t burst and in the end we had to lance it at the back of the bulb. The same thing happened to (My) Field Marshal a couple of years ago.
“We even X-rayed it because we thought there must be a foreign object in there but there wasn’t.”
When the foot finally came right and Make Way was ready to go again, he caught a bad cold.
“A virus went through the whole of Menangle. Our team all got it and there’s not much you can do, you just have to wait it out.
“Luckily it happened in the middle of winter so he didn’t miss any big races but I was still pulling my hair out.”
Make Way is being aimed at the A$50,000 Four-year-old Breeders’ Crown (2240m) at Melton on November 21.
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It’s Christmas-New Year Bliss for Phillips but just who has his mare fallen in love with?
Our runners this week: How our trainer rates them
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 2: Sammy Lincoln
5.48pm
“Sammy Lincoln has a bit more speed than Lincoln Wave - he’s very fast for a big, rangy horse - but he might be vulnerable on Friday - he could experience difficulty on the corners going right-handed. He won’t be a maiden for long.”
Race 2: Lincoln Wave
5.48pm
“I’d say he’d be the more reliable of our two. He was clearly our best two-year-old before he got injured and we’ve waited a long time for him. He’s a powerful colt and should have a bright future.”
Race 5: Johnny Lincoln
7.13pm
“The seven draw is a bit awkward but he’s trained on really well since Cambridge and I’m picking he’ll go really well.”
Race 8: Tyson
8.38pm
“He had a week off after his last run at Auckland, but I don’t think he’ll be short of a run. He’ll come back into the fray as tough as ever.”
Race 8: Spiritual Bliss
8.38pm
“She was incredibly unlucky at Cambridge. The gap opened up for Harrison, he tried to push through, then it closed on him. If she led, she’d be the one to beat. She’s a nice mare and she’s pretty tough, she doesn’t give it up.”
