Jockey Shane Scriven rode Hay List in some light track work before the Doomben 10,000

Hay List will be one of the shortest priced favourites ever in the Doomben 10,000 and it’s going to be his best chance yet in 2011 to grab a Group 1 win.

With Black Caviar out Hay List will only have to contest with eight rivals this Saturday and his final track work was left to the experienced ride of Shane Scriven.

Scriven volunteered to put him through his paces a few days ago and John McNair took up his offer and gave the experienced Queenslander the reins for some light work at Doomben.

“He surprised me a little bit,” Scriven said.

“Gave me a completely different feel to what I expected.”

Scriven said while Hay List has shown his blistering pace on the track, it’s very smooth and controlled rather than raw or untamed.

“I expected to be getting on a hot rod type animal but he’s big lopey lovely and wonderful ,” he said.

Given how far he is into his 2011 prep he wasn’t pushed to his limits during the session but he did build up a nice pace by the finish.

“It was a very easy 600m, an improving 600m, very steady first furlong and build it up the second furlong,” he said.

It wasn’t just the ease of the ride that surprised Scriven but also the manner in which he went about building up his speed.

“Had Ii not known what the horse was or his pattern or anything like that I’d say he’s a 1400m horse who gets back in the field,” he said.

It’s actually a strategy being toyed with by McNair when and if he continues on to the Stradbroke but for now the focus is completely on this weekend at Doomben.

Hay List is well and truly into odds on territory after drawing gate two earlier today and Scriven can see no reason why he won’t be the winner come Saturday.

“There’s certainly nothing wrong with the animal, I’d say he’s going into the race as good as ever, he’ll deservedly get his Group 1 under his belt,” he said.