Racing: Hay List already on back foot

Hay List has once again drawn a barrier outside the champion mare Black Caviar in Saturday's A$400,000 BTC Cup at Doomben. Photo / Getty Images

Trainer John McNair's wish list has been ignored yet again.

Hay List has once again drawn a barrier outside the champion mare Black Caviar in Saturday's A$400,000 BTC Cup at Doomben.

McNair has all week been talking up the chances of Hay List against Black Caviar, now that he has got the feet of his fine sprinter in almost top condition after a series of problems.

But he was "reasonably confident" of a close battle between the pair when they last met in the TJ Smith at Randwick on April 9.

The difference between the pair that day was a lot more than the barrier draw when the winner of 12 from 12 and A$3.2 million left Hay List struggling in her wake.

Black Caviar has drawn barrier No 4 in the eight-horse field on Saturday and Hay List No 6. Local Albert The Fat drew the rails.

The unbeaten mare is greatly suited by the weight-for-age scale. She receives 2kg from Hay List (56.5kg to 58.5kg) which she barely needs because of her massive size.

Her trainer Peter Moody doesn't even need to worry about a rain-affected track, which a few days ago looked a strong possibility.

Rain on Monday in Brisbane has cleared and it is expected to be fine through to the weekend.

The racing club has added three new areas of Doomben to accommodate what is expected to be a massive crowd to see Black Caviar live.

The glamour mare's winning prices in her past five starts have been $1.90, $1.28, $1.18, $1.09 and $1.14.

You won't pay the rent on what she's likely to be paying on Saturday.

New Zealand will have at best two runners at Doomben.

John Sargent's recent stylish Te Aroha juvenile winner Shanghai Bund is an acceptor for the A$100,000 Hampden Stakes, but is the second emergency in a big field.

Last-start Te Rapa winner Firebolt has drawn gate No 2 in the A$115,000 Chairman's Handicap.

Upsala was a nomination for the A$50,000 Doomben Dash, but did not accept.

The start of racing was delayed at Dargaville yesterday when only two jockeys made it to the track on time for the deadline to weigh out for Race 1.

Unfortunately, neither of the pair had a ride in the opening event.

The majority of jockeys were held up by traffic problems in and around Auckland.

Potentially much worse was an incident where starter's assistant Sean Collins, an ex-jockey, was nearly mown down when in front of the starting stalls after they opened.

Fortunately for Collins, he was close to the edge of the stalls after walking a horse into an inside barrier and was able to dive clear towards the running rail as the horses charged out of the gates.

Official starter Trevor Harrison said the power malfunctioned.

"I heard this 'bang' and the stalls suddenly opened."