Trainer Ron Leemon has stuck to his original plan to kick off Manawanui’s autumn campaign in Saturday week’s Royal Sovereign Stakes.
Connections had toyed with running the three-year-old against the older horses in the Group Two Expressway Stakes this weekend but Manawanui was not among acceptances on Wednesday.
Tommy Berry will partner the Golden Rose winner in the Royal Sovereign with regular jockey Glyn Schofield opting to head to Melbourne to ride Hay List in the Group One Lightning Stakes on the same day.
However, Leemon confirmed Berry had only been booked for one race and Schofield would be back aboard Manawanui for the remainder of the autumn.
“Glyn Schofield will resume riding him in the Hobartville Stakes,” Leemon said.
“Tommy has ridden the horse before. He will just be a seat warmer.”
Manawanui won a barrier trial at Rosehill on Tuesday with Schofield aboard.
Leemon reported the Caulfield Guineas runner-up had come through it well but given he missed some work last week due to the wet weather, he felt Manawanui wasn’t ready to resume on Saturday.
While Schofield will miss riding Manawanui in the Royal Sovereign Stakes (1200m) at Warwick Farm, he is looking forward to jumping back aboard Hay List.
The John McNair-trained sprinter has not raced since finishing runner-up to Black Caviar in the BTC Cup at Doomben in May.
Schofield says Hay List, who is scheduled to have an exhibition gallop between races at Rosehill on Saturday, will need to be spot-on to win the Lightning.
“He’s going to have to be on his game to win that race,” Schofield told Sky Sports Radio on Wednesday.
“He’s been out for a very long time. He’s a very big horse.
“John will have to make sure all the cobwebs are blown out because, whilst it’s only the minimum trip, 1000 metres, you’ve still got to be fit and ready to win a Group One 1000-metre race.”
Schofield also said he would not shy away from a rematch with Black Caviar.
The pair have met four times with Hay List finishing runner-up to the champion on three occasions.
“Group One racing is all about taking on the best there is and she certainly fits that category at the moment,” Schofield said.
“Hay List is probably the one that has made her pick up and stretch more than any other horse has been able to do.
“I’m pretty confident he has come back without any negatives or adverse affects from his injury and spell and I’m just really, really happy to be getting back on him.”
AAP TURF
