A powerful sprinter, Hay List had to play second fiddle to the mighty Black Caviar, but almost rolled her once

Dogged by injury throughout his career, the hulking gelding Hay List lived out his years on trainer John McNair's Central Coast property and accompanied the stable runners to the track when they raced. He was sired by the stallion Statue Of Liberty out of the dam Sing Hallelujah, (Is It True USA), but unfortunately died very young. Hay List raced as a homebred for the Davenport family and was trained by John McNair.

McNair began training in Western Australia and then moved to Somersby in NSW where he trained some great horses, including Mustard and Ears Ronnie. From humble beginnings as a backyard owner-trainer in WA to Group I success, McNair enjoyed the highs and lows of racing and also had his share of run-ins with authority. McNair's first horse of note was Sovereign Kite, a gelding that won 12 races in the 1990s, but he will long be remembered as the trainer of Black Caviar's closest foe, Hay List. Hay List had chronic hoof problems throughout his career, which was a testament to McNair’s horsemanship that he was able to take the giant sprinter from unpretentious origins to be rated the world’s second-best sprinter behind the unbeaten super mare, Black Caviar.

Hay List was a big, solid brute of a horse weighing in at over 600kg at his peak, but his bulk drove him on to be a champion sprinter. McNair's affiliation with the Hay List family began when he inherited Duke Bonga Longa as a tried horse, the gelding being out of Pucesca - Hay List's granddam. Hay List won the 2010 $500,000 Manikato Stakes under the lights at Moone Valley and All Aged Stakes, two Group one races. His early career form was stunning, winning 11 of his first 13 starts. He scorched over the turf in the Manikato to record a time of 1:09.94, only 0.65sec outside Miss Andretti's track record. On the quick backup from his devastating victory in the Manikato Stakes a week before, Hay List was sent out a pronounced odds-on favourite in the Gr.2 Gilgai Stakes, demolishing his rivals down the Flemington straight over 1200m. Hay List took his impeccable race record to 12 wins from 14 starts and prize money just under one million dollars by defeating Capitulated and Weekend Hussler.

Hay List won the million dollar Newmarket Handicap in a close finish in March 2012. Hay List won the race carrying 58 and a half kilograms, a feat not accomplished for over 60 years. When Black Caviar came along, Hay List was the horse who always tried hardest against the champion mare. The two met six times and he finished second to her on four occasions. She was absent when Hay List won the 2011 All Aged Stakes and the 2012 Newmarket Handicap under top weight, in what was generally considered his greatest victory. The only time in Black Caviar's 25-start career she looked like being beaten was when Hay List slipped away four lengths in front halfway down the Randwick straight in the 2011 TJ Smith. Little did Peter Moody know that Hay List was back, bigger and better, ready to throw down and brought his 'A' game that day. Black Caviar reeled him in and won on the line, but it was the first and only time she was truly tested at the elite level. They clocked 55.53, just off the track record held by Colin Hayes sensational sprinter, Special. Hay List's four Group One seconds behind the mare included two runnings of the Lightning Stakes.

Famous rivals on the track, if Hay List had raced in a different era to Black Caviar, he would have collected more than his three Group One's and been the standout sprinter of his generation. Hay List was the Coyote while once-in-a-lifetime wonder mare Black Caviar was the Road Runner. But despite going toe to toe with Black Caviar and never prevailing, Hay List and his connections enjoyed a fabulous moment when winning the 2012 Gr.1 Newmarket in a thrilling finish. Hay List narrowly prevailed over Queensland sprint champion Buffering, another galloper who had looked Black Caviar in the eye several times. He slowly wore down Buffering in a grueling battle to the line at Flemington.

Against all odds Hay List returned to racing after suffering from a fractured knee following a colic surgery in 2012. Unfortunately, the connections continued to race the horse even though it was apparent he had lost his ability to be competitive. Hay List resumed with an encouraging fifth in the Concorde Stakes, but questions were raised about the future of the three-time Group 1 winner after he was beaten nearly six lengths in the Gr.3 The Shorts (1100m). After an abysmal run in the 2013 Premiere Stakes, a post-race veterinary examination of Hay List revealed the gelding to be displaying an intermittent respiratory noise. McNair indicated Hay List would not be starting again under his care, believing he should be retired. The horse was retired in October 2013 due to long standing issues with his hind foot and the development of the respiratory noise while galloping. In the years to come, the Hay List story would become folklore and his nemesis Black Caviar had a lot to do with that.

Hay List’s trainer McNair sadly passed away in 2019 after battling pancreatic cancer, but Glyn Schofield revealed how he went against riding instructions to achieve a modern-day weight carrying record when Hay List won the Newmarket with 58.5kg. Schofield has ridden several star thoroughbreds around the world in his career, but Hay List is horse he describes as the best sprinter he's ever ridden. Schofield partnered Hay List on 16 occasions for five wins, including the Newmarket, which would prove to be the last win of the sprinters illustrious career.

In January 2014 Hay List again defied the medical text books by making a full recovery from a second colic surgery during which his entire caecum had to be removed. Hay List was euthanised on 3 February 2015 after suffering from the hoof disease laminitis. He was 9 years old.

RACE RECORD - 28: 15-6-0

EARNINGS - $2,559,575

G1 Manikato Stakes (2010)

G1 All Aged Stakes (2011)

G1 Newmarket Handicap (2012)

G2 Gilgai Stakes (2010)

G2 Challenge Stakes (2011)

G3 W J Healy Stakes (2010)

G3 McEwen Stakes (2010)