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.
More news in Harness
OK Sammy, lightning bolts aside, Ray’s relying on you to do things right this time
Lincoln Dealer has the genes but not the barrier draw for Cambridge debut
HRNZ boss Brad Steele resigns after less than two years; chairman praises his work
$101 monster upset! - Lincoln Wave makes the most of lucky break and fills plenty of pockets
Our runners this week: How our trainers rate them
Ray’s comments
Thursday night at Cambridge
Race 1: Rivergirl Bella
5.40pm
“She’s going as good as she can. She’s got a bit of speed but isn’t that strong. But she should get a nice trip here and be right in the frame. She’ll win one soon.”
Race 1: Jessie Lincoln
5.40pm
“She’s a big filly who has taken time to mature but she has plenty of ability. She’s a good pacer and I expect her to improve on her resuming run and go well.”
Race 1: Lincoln Dealer
5.40pm
“He’s a bit of a handful, too keen for his own good sometimes, so I’ll be happy to see him just get round and do most things right. He’s no superstar but he’s coming to it slowly but surely. We’re throwing him in the deep end here and he has a terrible draw but we have to start somewhere.”
Race 4: Lincoln Maree
7.04pm
“She’s as tough as old boots and tries like hell and you can’t ask for much more than that. She just lacks a bit of speed but has a good attitude. She usually finds one or two better than her but will make them work for it anyway.”
Ray’s comments
Friday night at Auckland
Race 1: Prince Lincoln
4.56pm
“He’ll be improved for the last run, has trialled and is working well, and has a better draw (the ace) this time. You just have to be a bit wary because he’s let us down a couple of times.”
Race 3: Angelic Copy
5.56pm
“She had a tie-up issue but seems much better now. It’s her first run for a while so she’ll definitely need the run. I’m just hoping she gets around all right and pulls up OK.”
Race 3: Colonel Lincoln
5.56pm
“He’s a very capable horse, if injury prone, and he’s been back in work for three or four months. You never say never but, realistically, he’s just starting off so you can’t expect him to be at his peak.”
Race 5: Sammy Lincoln
6.55pm
“I know I said it two starts back but if there’s such a thing as a certainty, he’s it. Even from seven on the gate, everything says he’s the one to beat. If he hadn’t gone a bit goofy up the home straight last time in the Sires’ Stakes Semi at Cambridge, he’d have easily run third. This is a huge drop in class.”
Race 7: Sugar Ray Lincoln
7.58pm
“I expect he’ll be a bit sharper this time. He’s looking well and feeling good but I still think another run under his belt will be beneficial for him. He’s not one to leap out of the ground but he is capable of taking the race.”
