Spring plans for Hay List are in doubt with the top sprinter suffering another setback as he battles to recover from the leg infection which ended his winter campaign.Trainer John McNair thought Hay List was finally overcoming the problem late last week but the infected area has swelled again."If this doesn't improve soon the spring might be out," McNair said."I won't look at anything until I'm comfortable the horse is over everything. When he's back in work I'll start thinking about looking for

Spring plans for Hay List are in doubt with the top sprinter suffering another setback as he battles to recover from the leg infection which ended his winter campaign.

Trainer John McNair thought Hay List was finally overcoming the problem late last week but the infected area has swelled again.

"If this doesn't improve soon the spring might be out," McNair said.

"I won't look at anything until I'm comfortable the horse is over everything. When he's back in work I'll start thinking about looking for races then."

The problem first surfaced on the eve of last month's Doomben 10,000 and forced Hay List to be sensationally scratched from the Group One for which he was odds-on favourite.

A subsequent bout of colic, believed to have been brought on as a result of the antibiotics the gelding was treated with, also hindered his recovery.

McNair had Hay List examined by a veterinarian on Wednesday and while he had a slight temperature he was not showing any sign of soreness.

The decision was made to continue using the gelding's current medication and to bandage the infected area.

"He (vet) wants to keep assessing him," McNair said and confirmed Hay List would again be checked on Thursday.

McNair said the situation was "quite distressing" especially in light of the recent death of Hot Danish who succumbed to an infection caused by a leg injury.

"I think it's frustration as much as anything and also the knowledge that a horse like Hot Danish, that something similar caused her demise," McNair said.

Hay List has not raced since his spirited second to champion Black Caviar in the Group One BTC Cup at Doomben on May 14.