Ex-South African Jockey Glyn Schofield is confident the highly rated Hay List is heading to Melbourne in the right form to make a big impact at Moonee Valley on Saturday.

Hay List's first Melbourne appearance in Saturday's G3 McEwen Stakes (1000m) will be a highlight of Saturday's meeting due to the high spring expectations for the former Perth star.

Hay List has not raced since he blitzed a strong field of sprinters in the G2 Healy Stakes at Eagle Farm in June at only his second start for NSW trainer John McNair after winning eight of his first nine starts in Perth.

Schofield had ridden Hay List at his first start for McNair when the gelding finished second in the June Stakes at Randwick but had to hand the Healy Stakes ride to Chris Munce due to a suspension.

Schofield has since worked closely with McNair to prepare Hay List for his spring campaign, making several trips to the central coast to ride the five-year-old in gallops in the left hand direction at Gosford and Wyong.

Schofield's latest hitout with Hay List was at the Wyong Cup meeting last Friday when the sprinter worked with a stablemate in an exhibition gallop.

Features AJC Spring Carnival Spring Carnival Melbourne Cup Cox Plate Caulfield Cup They worked off from the 1600m in the reverse direction with Hay List quickly dropping his stablemate at the 400m. He then worked keenly for 600m along the Wyong back straight to leave Schofield highly satisfied with his condition.

“I had been up to Gosford to ride Hay List in a couple of gallops in the reverse direction but his work at Wyong last Friday was easily his best since he came back from Queensland,” Schofield told Racing and Sports.

“He is a thick bodied horse and carries a fair bit of condition but the gallop convinced me he ready for whatever they want to throw at him in Melbourne.

“He had a big blow after the gallop and it will definitely bring him on.

“He is a very good horse. I really think he's got it all before him.”

The McEwen Stakes will prepare Hay List for his first Group One test in the Manikato Stakes at Moonee Valley on September 24.

Hay List, who was originally prepared in Perth by Jim Taylor before his transfer to McNair, may meet the exciting Peter Moody-trained sprinter Reward For Effort in the McEwen Stakes.

Last year's Blue Diamond winner Reward For Effort has been in sizzling form since resuming from a long spell, recording impressive back to back wins at Caulfield and Rosehill over 1000m and 1100m.