Hay List will most likely not return to racing this year

The chances of champion sprinter Hay List racing again this year are looking slimmer than ever, with the five-year-old forced to spend yet another week under the care of the Randwick Equine Centre in Sydney.

The Statue Of Liberty gelding has been out of action since falling victim to a severe leg infection before the Group 1 Doomben 10,000 in May.

The antibiotics prescribed to Hay List for the infection then led to a bout of colic.

Despite surviving the colic attack, Hay List has been unable to recover from his leg troubles.

Now trainer John McNair is reserved to the fact that his stable favourite will not run again until next autumn.

“It is starting to look like he won’t race again this year,” McNair said.

“I want to err on the side of caution.”

McNair had hoped to race Hay List overseas at the end of this year, with the gelding gaining an invite to run in the prestigious Sprinter’s Stakes in Japan this October.

This year’s Hong Kong Sprint and Hong Kong Mile were also on Hay List’s agenda.

Hay List, who has found himself in the shadow of Black Caviar throughout much of his racing career, has won 14 of his 20 race starts and has accrued almost $1.72 million in prize money.