ROYAL Ascot-bound sprinters Hay List and Foxwedge laid down a marker for the new year as they impressed in barrier trials at Randwick yesterday.

In front of the Royal Randwick stands, which are being gutted in the $150 million redevelopment, a burly-looking Hay List won his first public hit-out for seven months by four lengths. Trainer John McNair was not worried by Hay List's appearance and believes the six-year-old will be ready to return in the group 1 Lightning Stakes at Flemington on February 18.

''We don't want him to be the biggest loser but the biggest winner this time,'' McNair said of Hay List. ''He is going to be big because he has had so long off. He had a good blow after but he has recovered a lot better than I thought he would.''

Hay List ran second to Black Caviar in the Lightning last year, one of three runner-up finishes in group 1s behind the unbeaten mare, which were split by a resounding win in the All Aged Stakes. He clocked 58.20 seconds in his 1000-metre trial on a dead track, leaving group winners More Strawberries and Rangirangdoo in his wake. Jockey Glyn Schofield's assessment of the run gave McNair confidence about his sprinter's coming campaign.

''Glyn said he felt really good, which was good to hear,'' he said. ''I put that down to getting his front feet right. There are still some niggles with his back ones but he is a lot better than before. A couple of weeks ago he was 30 or 40 per cent about getting to the Lightning. It is now well above 50 per cent and growing by the day that he will get there. Depending on how he comes through that, I could trial him again in 10 days' time before running in the Lightning.''

Foxwedge is likely to be a challenger at Flemington and could follow the same path as Hay List overseas later in the year. The John O'Shea-trained colt came with a late run to win his trial. ''He felt awesome,'' jockey Nash Rawiller said. ''He is bucking his brands off, and the last 50 was electric.''

Foxwedge, which was second to Sepoy in the Coolmore Stud Stakes on VRC derby day before a spell, will chase the group 1 win that has so far eluded him. ''He will start in the Lightning and we'll decide where we go from there,'' O'Shea said.

''He is magnificently bred and we're looking for that group 1.''