Injury-plagued sprinter Hay List has been included in the nominations for the Group 3 Concorde Stakes (1000m) at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Hay List will return to the races in the Concorde Stakes at Royal Randwick on Saturday. Photo: Race Horse Photos Australia

Hay List was expected to return from his latest injury setback in the Group 3 Missile Stakes (1200m) at Randwick last month but was starched from the field due to concerns about the condition of the rain affected track.

The eight-year-old has made three barrier trial appearances this preparation and produced his best performance in his final trial at Gosford last Monday, when he beat home a decent field that included Group 1 placegetter Sharnee Rose.

The three-time Group 1 winner will be returning to the races for the first time since his disappointing autumn campaign where he finished out of the placings in both the Group 2 Challenge Stakes (1000m) and Group 1 T.J. Smith Stakes (1200m).

Many racing experts felt that Hay List was well past his best and should be retired but trainer John McNair is adamant that the Statue Of Liberty gelding is close to returning to his best form.

Hay List will face a tough challenge in the Concorde Stakes with Group 1 winning mare Mrs Onassis also nominated to contest the race.

The Oakleigh Plate winner resumed with a disappointing eighth place finish in the Listed John Monash Stakes (1100m) but looked like she was back to her best with a scintillating barrier trial victory over Ike’s Legacy, Sincero, Criterion and Drago a fortnight ago.

Darley sprinter Sessions will step up to Group level for the first time in the Concorde Stakes, in what will serve as a direct audition for bigger races during the 2013 Spring Racing Carnival.

Trainer Peter Snowden is eyeing the Group 1 Patinack Farm Classic (1200m) as the major goal for the son of Lonhro but will see how he handles the rise in class this weekend before bringing him to Melbourne.

“This will be a solid race on Saturday against some A-graders, so we’ll get a better guide as to how he’ll progress this preparation,” Snowden told News Limited.

“Horses like Hay List and Mrs Onassis, they’re good quality sprinters, so it will be a good test for him.

“A race like the Patinack Farm Classic would be the ultimate, but whether he’s physically and mentally ready for it, only time will tell.”

Other standouts in the Concorde Stakes nominations are Gai Waterhouse-trained Whittington, the consistent See The World, and Group 1 placegetter Decision Time.

See below for the full Concorde Stakes nominations, with the final field set to be released on Wednesday.

Spring Racing is finally here and you can find the best odds for all the big races at bookmaker.com.au.

2013 Concorde Stakes Nominations

Royal Randwick Racecourse – 07/08/2013