SUPPORTING THE 'BLACK CAVIAR HOUSE FULL TOUR' HAY LIST IS A STAR IN HIS OWN RIGHT

By Graham Potter | Wednesday, May 11, 2011

In one respect, trainer John McNair does not envy Peter Moody.

McNair can do without all the hype and attention and media commitments that Moody has to deal with as he guides the fortunes of the mighty Black Caviar and he has been happy to keep his BTC Cup contender Hay List ticking over at his Gosford base in the lead-up to the much awaited clash between these two star performers as they prepare to step out to renew their rivalry at Doomben on Saturday.

McNair, who will only float Hay List up to Brisbane on Thursday night, has made light of recent reports concerning Hay List’s well documented foot problems which have required treatment on an on-going daily basis for some time.

He believes Hay List is right to race and has no problems if stewards want to confirm that fact by getting their own vet to inspect the horse.

Just as Moody and stable jockey have justifiable faith in the unbeaten Black Caviar, who will be bidding for her thirteenth straight win, so too does McNair hold a belief that his charge can test Black Caviar who holds a three-nil result advantage over the McNair runner in their previous clashes.

It is of course testament to the brilliance of Black Caviar that a horse with the race-record like Hay List still can only come up second best in the ratings, but, make no mistake, Hay List is a star in his own right.

Hay List has won fourteen of his nineteen starts and has finished runner-up on another three occasions (two of which were behind Black Caviar) for a haul of $1.6 million in stakes.

Hay List won his first eight career starts. His first Group win came in his only start to date in Queensland when he took out the Group 3, W.J. Healy Stakes over 1200m at Eagle Farm last season when beating the useful Pinwheel by five lengths.

The Healy Stakes win was the first win in another strong sequence of victories as Hay List proceeded to add the Group 3 McEwen Stakes, a first Group 1 success in the Manikato Stakes and the Group 2 Gilgai Stakes to his resume.

After the Gilgai Hay List could boast no less a record than an impressive twelve wins from fourteen starts.

Then he met Black Caviar for the first time in the Group 1, Patinack Farm Classic.

Even allowing for the fact that Hay List was meeting the new superstar of the Australian turf, the McNair runner was clearly not right on the day and performed well below his proven ability.

Following that disappointment Hay List was spelled for three-and-a-half months before he came out to face Black Caviar again in the Group 1, Lightning Stakes. Black Caviar was too good on the day cruising home to beat Hay List into second place by 3.30 lengths.

McNair didn’t ever suggest he could have beaten Black Caviar in either of those clashes up until that time, but he has gone on record stating, “The first time Hay List met her he was injured and the second time he hurt his shoulder coming out of the gates.”

The implication was he thought, all things being equal, Hay List could close the gap on the Black Caviar.

Hay List than won a Group 2 event, where his class just got him over the line after missing some lead-up work into the race, and then came the third clash with Black Caviar, this time in the Group 1, T J Smith over 1200m at Randwick.

In a race which enthralled a huge audience Hay List threw down the challenge to the champion racing clear with a useful lead in the home straight only to be cut down with methodical precision by Black Caviar, who with a long, breathtaking stride cut back the leeway and then accelerated past Hay List in stunning fashion to maintain her perfect record.

The winning margin was 2.80 lengths. Hay List had found a half-a-length on Black Caviar from their previous clash, but he was still clearly second best.

The outright dominance of the Black Cavair/Hay List shoot out in the T J Smith was underlined by the fact that they left several well-performed runners trailing in their wake. It was a full five lengths back to Triple Honour who finished in third place.

Hay List then franked that form by demolishing his rivals in no uncertain terms in the Group 1, All Aged Stakes in his next start.

And so to the present. Can Hay List close lower the colours of Black Caviar for the first time?

Most believe if that option is to come into play it will have as much to do with Black Caviar having an off-day than it does with Hay List racing right up to his best form.

John McNair has certainly not conceded the race.

"If we can get a dead track, I think you will see one hell of a horse race," McNair said.

That’s what we’ll all be coming to see!

As at Wednesday morning, tickets still available* for the BTC Cup meeting featuring the world’s highest rated horse, Black Cavair, on Saturday, May 14, 2011 are:

General admission - 9163 tickets available.
Home Lawn Straight - 23 spaces (or 230 tickets) tickets available.
The Lookout – Sold Out
The Grove – Sold Out

Do not miss out! Go and purchase your ticket now!

*Figures supplied by Brisbane Racing Club.

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