Grand sprinter Hay List is not heading for retirement according to trainer John McNair after the six year old suffered a further setback following a bout of colic last week.

Hay List injured his knee when recovering from surgery for colic at Randwick Equine Centre and McNair has explored all avenues to ensure that his racing days aren’t over.

Injury plagued Hay List is not heading for retirement according to trainer John McNair - photo (c) Taron Clark

“He does have an issue with his knee but we are a lot happier with the horse today than we were late last week,” McNair said.

“There have been a lot of rumours about the horse but it is definitely premature to suggest he has run his last race.”

McNair had many sleepless nights when Hay List developed colic last week, calling an end to his Autumn campaign, but with the news of a problem with his knee, his return to the race track is uncertain.

“I haven’t slept for three days, but I’m feeling a lot better today having seen him, he looks a lot better,” McNair said.

“We’ve had his knee scanned and the scans have been sent to some of the world’s best vets for their opinion.”

McNair has sent scans of Hay List’s injured knee to prominent veterinary surgeons in Australia and around the world looking for the best opinion to make sure he gets every opportunity to continue his great career.

As well as being plagued by injury throughout his illustrious career, Hay List has had to live in the shadow of super sprinter Black Caviar with four Group 1 seconds to the mighty mare.

But he was able to gain his own recognition as a great sprinter when he took out this year’s Group 1 $1m Lexus Newmarket Handicap (1200m) at Flemington with the impost of 58.5kg, stamping himself into the history books.

Hay List is a winner of fifteen races from twenty-three starts, earning over $2.5m in prizemoney for his connections.