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Trainer John McNair has fired a broadside at the handicapping of Hay List in next month’s Newmarket Handicap and will strongly recommend to the owners that the star sprinter not run in the Group One feature.

Racing Victoria handicapper Neil Jennings gave Hay List 58.5kg for the time-honoured Flemington sprint on March 10, three kilos less than topweight Black Caviar who has already been ruled out of the event.

McNair described the handicapping of Hay List as “beyond ridiculous” while managing owner Terry Davenport said it was “a shock to the system”.

McNair was so incensed he said he was against running Hay List in Melbourne again this year.

“To my mind I wouldn’t only not run (in the Newmarket), I wouldn’t go back to Melbourne this year if it was my decision. But it is not my decision. It is Terry’s decision,” he said.

“I don’t own the horse and I have got to do as I am told but I will be doing everything in my power to advise not to run him.

“I can’t see the point in busting the poor horse’s guts to run a good second, third or fourth.”

Hay List would need to defy history with Gold Stakes (60kg) the last horse to carry 58.5kg or more to victory in the Newmarket Handicap back in 1959. The modern-day record is held by Shaftesbury Avenue who won with 58kg in 1991.

Jennings defended Hay List’s weight describing it as “a challenge, but he boasts an outstanding record and it is reflective of his standing as arguably the second-best sprinter in the world”.

“He receives a five-kilo turnaround from Black Caviar for his defeat in the Lightning Stakes and concedes third-placed Buffering, who he defeated by two lengths, four kilos,” he said.

Jennings said Black Caviar had 3.5kg more than she carried to victory in last year’s Newmarket in record time and a kilo more than the weight-carrying record for a mare set by Pendant (1906) with 60.5kg.

Davenport said he was still coming to terms with the handicapping of Hay List and hadn’t got as far as a deciding on a Newmarket run.

“We haven’t got to that stage yet,” he said.

“I’m still getting over the shock.

“It is disappointing mostly because so much effort goes into getting there and you get something that is a bit hard to explain.”

Hay List did not accept in the Newmarket a year ago with 56.5kg but after winning the Group One All-Aged Stakes, Group Two Challenge Stakes and running three Group One seconds to Black Caviar in the last year has been penalised two kilos.

McNair said Foxwedge (50kg), who ran Sepoy to a photo-finish at level weights in the Coolmore Stud Stakes two starts back in the spring, had been pitched in against Hay List.

“Foxwedge finished 2.1 lengths behind us (in the Lightning Stakes) and we would meet the horse 5.5kg worse off,” McNair said.

“I’ve worked out that if Sepoy had been weighted in the Newmarket he would have got 56.5kg.”

Significantly nine three-year-olds is the last 20 years have won the Newmarket including Schillaci, General Nediym, Exceed And Excel, Alinghi and Weekend Hussler, who all carried 53.5kg or more.

McNair was also unhappy with Hay List’s treatment in relation to Secret Admirer (55kg).

“Hay List has only won two Group Ones from 21 starts and Secret Admirer has won two Group One races from 11 starts and we’ve got to give her 3.5kg,” he said.

Without Black Caviar and Hay List, weights would be raised 1.5kg and dual Group One winner Albert The Fat (56.5kg) would be the new topweight with 58kg, ahead of Toorak Toff (56kg to 57.5kg).

Emerging Sydney star Rain Affair, who is chasing 10 wins in a row, would rise from 55.5kg to 57kg while Bel Sprinter would go up from 52.5kg to 54kg, allowing Ben Melham to stick with him.

AAP TURF

 
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