John McNair All Smiles Following Black Caviar Withdrawal

Glyn Schofield and John McNair

Hay List's trainer John McNair and usual jockey Glyn Schofield

While many people are upset about not getting the chance to see Black Caviar attempt 14 unbeaten runs in the Doomben 10,000, trainer John McNair is overjoyed with the news.

McNair’s Hay List will now go into the race as the undisputed favourite and the trainer is over the moon.

“I’ll give you one word – woohoo,” McNair said.

“That’s one word that says a thousand.”

McNair was not surprised when he heard Peter Moody’s announcement, feeling she didn’t look to have properly recovered after her most recent run.

“I think looking at her in the yard the other day it doesn’t surprise me,” McNair said.

“I think she’s just come to the end of her preparation and Peter was smart enough to know it.

“It’s better to do this than go there and get beaten.”

Unlike Black Caviar, Hay List is said to have recovered well from his BTC Cup start.

“He’s come through the race exceptionally well and I think this run (in the Doomben 10,000) will probably pull us up, more than likely,” he said.

“He’s a bit like her, he’s had a long preparation.

“We won’t make any decisions until after Saturday week’s race.”

McNair is now focusing completely on claiming a victory with Hay List now that Black Caviar is out of the picture.

“All I’m focussing on is Saturday week’s race and now she’s gone I’ll just be terribly careful now because the last thing we want is something to go wrong with him,” he said.

The trainer realises just how amazing Hay List’s record would have been had Black Caviar pulled out of all of their previous clashes.

“It would make for very impressive stats, but that’s not the stats,” he said.

“That just highlights how great this mare is.

“She not only beats us, she beats us easy.”

Like Moody, McNair is currently not looking to take Hay List overseas in the near future.

“Pete (Moody) and I have the same philosophy and we think quite similar,” McNair said.

The trainer said an overseas campaign may be on the cards in order to avoid further clashes with Black Caviar.

“There’s plenty of money on offer (but) if she’s in races it makes us look for something else,” McNair said.

“We’ll make our decision after the spring.

“Unfortunately we can’t dodge her in the spring.”

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