Group 1 sprinter Hay List is not a certain starter to take on Black Caviar in the Group 1 $1m Darley T J Smith (1200m) at Randwick on Saturday.

Trainer John McNair will decide on a T J Smith start after Hay List gallops on Wednesday. Photo by Steve Hart.

Hay List fell short of his best in a gallop in between races at Wyong yesterday and trainer John McNair will decide after another workout on Wednesday morning if his stable star lines up at Randwick.

Hay List galloped with stablemate Australian Star at Wyong with jockey Glyn Schofield not completely happy the giant sprinter.

“His work last week was good and he seems fine, but his gallop today wasn’t great,” Schofield said following the workout.

“John said he would give him a piece of work on Wednesday and make a decision after that.”

Hay List has had one run back from a lengthy spell following knee surgery and knocked up noticeably in the straight when fourth to Snitzerland in the Group 2 $175,000 Challenge Stakes (1000m) at Warwick Farm on March 16.

Then McNair was forced to miss the Group 1 $350,000 Canterbury BMW Galaxy (1100m) at Rosehill on March 30 because of a re-occurrence of a hoof injury that has troubled the seven year old over a long period of time.

Two years ago in the T J Smith Hay List made the huge Randwick crowd roar when he skipped away in the straight before being run down by Black Caviar in a race that trainer Peter Moody describes as one of the mighty mares best wins.

Hay List has finished second to Black Caviar on four occasions at Group 1 level including twice in the Lightning down the Flemington straight and also in the 2011 $400,000 Bundaberg Distilling Co. BTC Cup (1200m) at Doomben at the great mare’s only Brisbane appearance.

The T J Smith is shaping as a great contest even with Black Caviar returning to Sydney and is expected to attract a field of multiple Group 1 winners, including Sea Siren, Ortensia, and Bel Sprinter as well as Atomic Force, Decision Time and Epaulette.