HAY LIST WILL LINE-UP IN THE NEWMARKET

By Graham Potter | Thursday, March 1, 2012

Australia's second best sprinter Hay List will take his place in line-up for the Newmarket Handicap on March 10.

This resolution came about when the Davenport family, who own the imposing gelding, pulled rank on their trainer John McNair after McNair had indicated in very strong terms that Hay List would not race in the Newmarket or, indeed, if he had his way, would not race again in Victoria.

McNair’s ire had been raised by the weight allocation Hay List had received for the Newmarket and he reportedly responded by saying, ‘they obviously don’t want us there, so why would we want to go down? They are only interested in one horse in that state!”

The horse McNair eluded to there, of course, is Black Caviar, whose connections had already decided to bypass the Newmarket. In essence, Black Caviar’s absence has been just what Hay List has been looking for in his quest for his next feature race win and, in that sense alone, the Newmarket offers Hay List his opportunity.

It is a stern test at the weights to be sure, as Peter Davenport, the spokesman for the owners conceded.

“It's a big weight,” acknowledged Davenport, “but we wouldn't be running him if we didn't think he could win. He's been trained for the Newmarket. Rather than run and hide, we're going to run."

Hay List is set to carry 58.5kg which is half-a-kilo more than Black Caviar lumped to victory in last year’s version of Newmarket. A win on the day would make Hay List the highest-weighted winner since Gold Stakes carried 60kg to victory in 1959.

Regular race rider Glyn Schofield will be on board Hay List in the Newmarket. Schofield had accepted a ride on Pinker Pinker in Sydney on the same day when he believed that Hay List would not be running in the Newmarket, but he was able to change that booking when the Davenport’s decision trumped the McNair recommendation.

Bookmakers are understandably not taking any chances with Hay List, who has been posted as the outright favourite for the Newmarket.

*Hay List is a fourteen-time winner from twenty-one starts.

He was unbeaten in his first eight starts in West Australia. Since crossing to the east coast Hay List’s wins include successes in the Group 1 Manikato Stakes, the Group 1 All Aged Stakes, Group 2 Gilgai Stakes, the Group 2 Stevco Challenge Stakes, the Group 3 Healy Stakes and the Group 3 McEwen Stakes.

Hay List has also finished in a minor placing on five occasions including four Group 1 runner-up results when beaten by Black Caviar in the all of the Lightning Stakes (twice), the TJ Smith and the BTC Cup.

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