William Reid favourite Hay List has been passed fit to start at Moonee Valley tomorrow night but will undergo a final inspection when he arrives at the track.
Hay List was examined by Racing Victoria veterinarian Brian Stewart and was given the all clear after trainer John McNair reported to Stewards that the Newmarket Handicap winner has sustained a bruised heel earlier in the week.
“Barring any setbacks Hay List will be re-examined on his arrival at Moonee Valley on Friday night,” an Racing Victoria Limited issued update said.
Hay List is a short priced favourite for the William Reid at $1.35 and is meeting second elect Buffering ($12) better at the weights under the weight for age scale.
Buffering with 54.5kg was able to get within a nose of Hay List who was top weight in the Newmarket with 58.5kg but now under the WFA conditions tomorrow night Buffering will have to meet him on equal terms.
Even with the weight disadvantage jockey Michael Rodd is still giving Buffering a good chance of turning the tables on the favourite.
“My bloke is honest. You look at his record and it’s fantastic, obviously not as good as Hay List’s, but he always turns up on race day and runs his best,” Rodd said.
“He’s one from one around the Valley.”
“It wouldn’t surprise me if he came out and beat him.
“But he’s got a little bit against him. Coming back to the level weights is going to make it a bit harder.”
Rodd said the Robert Heathcote trained four year old was able to sustain the one pace and could get the other runners off the bit a long way from home and will adopt those tactics again.
“He’s just got one pace and it’s flat out,” Rodd said.
“That’s pretty much how you’ve got to ride him. He doesn’t have much of a turn of foot, he just keeps picking up.”
“Where he wins his races is he gets all the other horses off the bridle and out of their comfort zones early, and chasing him.”
Buffering has a fifty per cent winning strike rate at Moonee Valley with a win in the Group 3 $150,000 Mitty’s McEwen Stakes (1000m) on September 10 last year followed by a fourth to Sepoy in the Group 1 $500,000 Sportingbet Manikato Stakes (1200m) on September 30.
Stable mate Woorim also has a Moonee Valley win under his belt and runs his best races when the pace up front is solid and can finish hard as he showed in taking out the Group 1 $400,000 Sportingbet Oakleigh Plate (1100m) at Caulfield on February 25.
