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28/01/12 Schofield Happy With Hay List
GLYN Schofield declared Hay List back to his best after riding the super sprinter in a brilliant barrier trial win at Randwick yesterday. But trainer John O'Shea's classy three-year-olds Foxwedge and Elite Falls showed they will be worthy big-race sprint rivals for Hay List with impressive heat wins.
Hay List was dynamic coasting home four lengths clear of More Strawberries over 1000m in 58.2s.
After being plagued by injury concerns since finishing second to the mighty Black Caviar in the BTC Cup last May, it was heartening to see Hay List moving freely in his action during his runaway trial win.
"I didn't put Hay List under much pressure at all in the trial, the idea was not to give him a gut-buster," Schofield explained.
"There's still a lot to work with, he had a good blow after the trial, but he wasn't anxious, he wasn't overly fresh, and he wasn't trying to 'run' through the bridle.
"He did it easily, just like I would have wanted, and he felt as good as ever. He is not fit as he has been but his well-being and how he feels was the encouraging part.
"His fitness will come and if John (McNair) can keep the horse feeling like he did today, then it is going to stand him in very good stead."
Hay List is being prepared for his comeback to racing in the Group 1 $750,000 Lightning Stakes (1000m) at Flemington on February 18.
A likely opponent for Hay List that day is brilliant colt Foxwedge, a good winner of his 855m trial in 51.2s against some quality three-year-olds including Salade, Rekindled Alliance, Strike The Stars, Doctor Doom and Free Wheeling. Foxwedge's stablemate Elite Falls ran a second faster as she ran away with her heat, leaving the likes of Altar, Detours and Streama well behind.
It is indicative of just how well Foxwedge and Elite Falls are going that O'Shea is already looking at Group 1 comeback races for both young sprinters with Elite Falls likely to resume in the Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 25.
O'Shea missed the trials as he was en route to New Zealand for the yearling sales but he wasn't surprised Foxwedge and Elite Falls trialled so well.
"Foxwedge has been flying and Elite Falls has come back unbelievably well," O'Shea enthused. "They have both won Group 2 races and they need to win a Group 1 now."