News

Hay List ready for rest

9th Nov 2010

Herald Sun - Matt Stewart - Wednesday, 11 November 2010

THREE days after the dust settled on the match race that fizzled into a one-act affair, Hay List's trainer John McNair refused to hoist the white flag.

McNair said Hay List pulled up from his disappointing unplaced effort behind superstar Black Caviar in Saturday's Patinack Farm Classic physically fine but mentally frazzled.

"It was all just psychological," McNair said.

"After the setbacks he had, the knock to his leg, he just never put in. He pulled up without any soreness at all. She (Black Caviar) won the battle but she hasn't won the war just yet.

''I'm not saying we can beat her - that would be ridiculous - but I do know we have the only horse in the country that's capable of testing her."

The two sprint superstars are due to have their second round in the 1000m Lightning Stakes at Flemington on February 19.

Hay List, who returned to McNair's New South Wales farm yesterday, will rest for three weeks before being aimed at the rematch at Flemington.

Grahame Begg, trainer of dethroned sprint king All Silent, is under no illusions about what is in store for All Silent and Hay List when they next bump into Black Caviar.

All Silent won the Patinack last year but was a distant fourth to Black Caviar on Saturday, despite running a scorching final 400m. He runs in the Kevin Heffernan Stakes at Sandown on Saturday.

The gelding's spring was thwarted first by the rigours of travel, then wet weather, then Black Caviar. And the forecast is not good for the dry-tracker, with storms predicted for the weekend.

"The annoying thing is he's just starting to come good and there's really nothing around for him, other than having a crack at Sandown," Begg said.

SO YOU THINK'S quest to dominate Europe became harder with the announcement that champion mare Goldikova will race on after her third straight Breeders' Cup Mile win in Kentucky at the weekend.

Goldikova and So You Think will have similar races on their agenda next year.

PRESSDAY, costly during Cup Week when he missed the start before finishing unplaced in the 1200m Coolmore Stud Stakes, galloped strongly at Sandown yesterday in preparation for Saturday's 1600m Sandown Guineas.

Trainer Chris Waller said he was pleased with the gallop.

JOHNNY Murtagh confirmed he had split with Irish super stable Ballydoyle.

Murtagh, who became Aidan O'Brien's stable rider in 2008, has enjoyed remarkable big-race success since.