Plans for recuperating sprinter Hay List remain up in the air but trainer John McNair is still hopeful he will get the chance to showcase his star overseas.
While Hay List continues to recover from a leg infection at the Randwick Equine Centre, McNair is on a reconnaissance mission in Hong Kong where he has been inspecting the facilities for a possible trip there in December.
Hay List has been battling problems since his scratching from the Doomben 10,000 on race eve and McNair concedes this year’s Hong Kong International race day might come too soon.
But if he can get Hay List there in December he believes the Hong Kong Mile (1600m) is the best option with Jockey Club officials keen to entice Hay List’s nemesis Black Caviar to the Sprint (1200m).
“I was keen to come and see the facilities, whenever a trip does become a possibility, and everything looks top class,” McNair said in the South China Morning Post.
“Whether it’s this year or some other time, we will know more in the next week or so.”
Hay List is best known as a sprinter and has never raced beyond 1400m, although he has won his only two starts over that trip including a 3-1/4-length romp in the Group One All-Aged Stakes at Randwick in April.
Meanwhile, the South China Morning Post also reported that a senior officer from the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) had also been in Hong Kong to inspect and discuss the quarantine situation.
Currently, horses travelling from Hong Kong to Australia are required to spend two months in quarantine but officials are hoping that can be halved.
“Hopefully we are now in a position to accomplish our goals as far as getting Black Caviar and other top Australian horses, like Hay List, for December,” HKJC executive director of racing Bill Nader said.
If that happens, it will also be good news for Victorian racing with Hong Kong-based trainer John Moore eyeing a possible trip to Melbourne for both Silver Grecian and Mighty High.
AAP TURF
