Hay List Still A Goodwood Chance
- Tuesday, 26 April 2011 07:45
A Goodwood Handicap start for Hay List could still be possible with the star sprinter to be nominated for Adelaide's Group One sprint on Wednesday.
A conversation between Hay List's trainer John McNair and South Australian Jockey Club (SAJC) chief executive Brenton Wilkinson on Tuesday afternoon reignited the possibility of the All-Aged Stakes winner getting to Adelaide for the 1200m Group One on May 8.
McNair and Hay List's owners had been resigned to bypassing the Goodwood and heading straight to Brisbane for the BTC Cup (1200m) on May 14 because the cost of a flight to Adelaide and back was too expensive.
The SAJC will look into possible sponsorship opportunities in the coming days in an attempt to have Hay List on show at Morphettville.
"I've spoken to Brenton Wilkinson from the South Australian Jockey Club today and he's very keen to get him over there," McNair said.
"I made a few suggestions and he's gone off to do some homework in regards to see if there could be some sponsors."
McNair said it wouldn't be out of the question to run in the Goodwood in Adelaide and back up the following week in the BTC Cup (1200m) against Black Caviar providing there were suitable flights.
Wilkinson confirmed the SAJC was still "dead keen" on trying to see if Hay List could get to the Goodwood, and with the gelding to be nominated Wilkinson said he had some extra time to try see if it could happen.
"John is going to nominate the horse for the Goodwood tomorrow and we're just going to keep working in the next few days on how we can get him here as quickly as possible," Wilkinson said.
"John said that the owners and himself would much prefer the horse to fly so we're just going to look at every avenue we can to have the horse down here because the day Takeover Target came to Adelaide was a great day for us, and to have a horse the quality of Hay List here would just be sensational.
"We will also look at the option of whether we can organise a flight, rather than going back to Sydney, whether we can get a flight to Brisbane for him."
Wilkinson said he would be speaking to possible sponsors on Wednesday.
"It's a huge publicity opportunity for South Australia and for somebody to get involved with," he said.
"I don't have a specific person in mind (but) I will talk to Tourism SA to see whether or not they are happy to assist us in getting a horse like him here, because if we didn't have Black Caviar he would be the pin-up horse of Australia."
McNair has ruled out floating the hulking sprinter to Adelaide for the Goodwood.
"That's not on the cards, especially since we can wait another week and go to Brisbane (for the BTC Cup)," McNair said.
"And to be honest, instead of worrying about Black Caviar, I'm almost starting to look forward to it."
The trainer said he was "absolutely over the moon" with how Hay List had come through his All-Aged Stakes win.
Picture: Sportpix
