It’s had all the twists and turns of a daytime soap opera but it has now finally been confirmed that Hay List will not be leaving the stables of John McNair.

Owned by the Davenport family talk last week suggested it was a done deal that Hay List would be moved elsewhere for his 2012 campaign.

Now though connections are adamant that won’t be the case and McNair will have another crack with the horse he’s spent months rehabilitating.

“Hay List and John McNair are happily reunited and back to business,” Peter Davenport said.

An even more important question then where he’d be trained is what condition the horse is in after suffering a life threatening conditions earlier in the year.

Hay List had a foot issue but things quickly turned for the worst however Davenport says the issues are all clear.

“We are thrilled with his condition, as he has been given the all-clear. He is 100 per cent fit,” he said.

“There is no reason to suggest he can’t come back like the Hay List we know next preparation.”

All up the horse spent six months off the course missing the entire spring racing carnival.

He last ran at the BTC Cup in Brisbane when second to Black Caviar in one of her most exciting races to date.

While beaten pretty comfortably the battle between Hay List and Black Caviar could be reignited next year and it could be on the world stage.

“The horse deserves to go overseas,” Davenport said.

“It obviously can put a strain on them, but if we are going to do it, we will do it the Takeover Target way, the patient way and just do the right thing by the horse.

“It won’t be a hit-and-run mission.”

That could mean a trip to the Royal Ascot carnival, a place he’d find not only Black Caviar but maybe Sepoy as well in what would be a massive advertisement for Australian racing.

“We are certainly looking very, very heavily at an extensive overseas campaign, but the prizemoney, quality of racing and the overall glory you get from staying in Australia is equal, so the easiest answer is that Hay List will decide what happens,” Davenport said.

“If he is 100 per cent at the right time, then it could be Singapore and the United Kingdom. If he is 110 per cent at the right time, it could be Dubai.

“I don’t have enough knowledge of the program to tell you exactly how it would work, but we haven’t ruled anything out.”

Before all that though he needs to prove he’s back in shape with a first up run on home soil.

At the moment that looks like being the Lightning Stakes on February 18 over 1000m down the Flemington straight.

“When we get him back in full work, I’ve got a feeling he might be back to his absolute best over those short sprints,” Davenport said.