HAY LIST MEETS THE CHALLENGE

Statue of Liberty flyer, Hay List, capped off a huge weekend for Eliza Park stallions by taking out the Group Two Challenge Stakes at Warwick Farm on Sunday (27 March).

Hulking sprinter Hay List dodged the might of Black Caviar in electing to run at Warwick Farm in the ATC Challenge Stakes, the decision reaping the right reward when the son of Statue of Liberty (USA) returned to the winner’s circle.
A touch slowly away, the John McNair trained Hay List rallied quickly to hold the rail keeping Keen Commander one off the fence and when given full rein in the straight he surged to the line for a popular win.
The margin of a long head between he and Keen Commander might have had some punters questioning the merit of the win, but the time of 56.89 seconds (0.7 seconds outside the course record) on a dead track proved it was no walk in the park.
A homebred for the Davenport family, Hay List has won 13 of 17 starts earning $1.2 million and is one of 11 stakes-winners worldwide for his sire Statue of Liberty (USA), who stands at Eliza Park.
Hay List will take on Black Caviar again in the Group One ATC TJ Smith Stakes at Randwick in two weeks time with John McNair indicating the sprinter may also have a crack at the 1400m of the Group One ATC All Aged Stakes as well.
Hay List is the first stakes winner for his dam Sing Hallelujah, a metropolitan winning daughter of Is It True (USA).
Sing Hallelujah was covered again by Statue of Liberty last spring and has a weanling full brother to Hay List.
A son of champion sire Storm Cat, Statue of Liberty was originally brought to Australia for three seasons 2004, 2005, 2006 before missing in 2007 when EI struck.
He returned to Victoria in 2009 following an absence of two years, with interest in him rekindled through the deeds of brilliant galloper Mic Mac and smart fillies Dan Baroness, Elysees and Broadway Harmony.
Statue of Liberty covered 130 mares last spring at a fee of $17,600.
– Breednet