Jockey Shane Scriven has joined the Hay List fan club despite being left a little bemused after partnering the giant sprinter in a final gallop ahead of his Group One Doomben 10,000 assignment.
Hay List, who drew perfectly in barrier two for Saturday’s 1350-metre feature, worked strongly over 600 metres on a rain-affected track on the Doomben course proper on Wednesday.
The Rob Heathcote-trained Buffering drew awkwardly in barrier eight while the Peter Snowden-trained Beaded came up with gate seven.
Love Conquers All, who boasts a win over Hay List, will jump from barrier five.
Scriven has watched Hay List work many times in Brisbane but admitted he was surprised after riding the five-year-old for the first time.
“I thought he would be big and powerful but he’s an old gentleman and worked like a miler,” Scriven said.
“If I hadn’t known him I would have thought he was a 1400 to 1600-metre horse who got back in his races and wanted to run home.
“With her (Black Caviar) out of the way, he’ll be winning the 10,000 and it wouldn’t matter what barrier he got.”
Scriven’s assessment is certain to put added pressure on trainer John McNair to extend Hay List’s campaign to include the Group One Stradbroke Handicap (1400m) at Eagle Farm on June 11.
Scriven is riding on a stay of proceedings pending the outcome of an appeal against a five-month suspension over his whip stealing incident at Ipswich last month.
Despite winning his second Doomben Cup on Scenic Shot on Saturday, Scriven doesn’t have a ride in this year’s Doomben 10,000 which has attracted a small field of nine.
“I’ll be sitting in the jockeys’ room watching but if something happens and Glyn Schofield’s plane is delayed for some reason I expect to get the call up,” Scriven said.
McNair won’t rush into a decision whether to start Hay List in the $1 million Stradbroke until after the Doomben 10,000.
He was happy with Hay List’s alley but his preference was for a slightly wider barrier draw.
“There’s only nine in the race and I would have liked to have drawn in the middle so he could have a look around,” he said.
“I’ve got no idea how we’ll ride him and I’ll leave that up to Glyn.
“But he’s got a gate where he can lead or take a sit.”
McNair has some concerns how Hay List has coped since his second to Black Caviar in the Group One BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben earlier this month.
“I’ve been a little concerned with his mental attitude,” McNair said.
“He’s not as happy as when he first arrived here.
“He’s been knocking his bucket over and normally goes straight to his concentrate feed but he’s now going straight to his hay which is not a good sign.
“He hasn’t been eating like normal and that’s a sign he might be starting to train off.”
AAP TURF
