Championship pacemaker David Hayes has become the first trainer to fall under tighter pre-race scrutiny from the Jockey Club vets following Wednesday night's late-scratching debacle. The Hayes-trained All Thrills Too, a runner in tonight's featured American Club Challenge Cup at Sha Tin, was inspected separately by two vets yesterday. All Thrills Too, who is sure to carry a great deal of public support, was examined by Dr W. H. Chan, who reported he had noted a small bruise on the horse's near-forefoot on Tuesday. He said yesterday's official pre-race inspection of the horse revealed no soreness in that area and that the horse was 'trotting sound'. Dr Chan passed All Thrills Too, adding that the farrier had shod the horse on both front feet with protective padding. That pre-race inspection was seconded by Dr P. J. Schiff. Hayes, who has eight winners and leads the title race by three, last night scoffed at any suggestion that the four-year-old would be below his best. 'All Thrills Too had a very small crack in his foot, but he has been at the track every day,' Hayes said. 'I think after what happened on Wednesday night that the Club is being ultra-careful. All Thrills Too ran 21.6 seconds on the track on Saturday and he's just a narrow sort of horse, so I didn't give him too much to do for a couple of days after that. Maybe that made them think he was nursing a problem.' Even tighter pre-race checks were promised in the wake of the controversial withdrawal of I Win on Wednesday. The gelding was scratched at the barriers with suspensory ligament trouble despite having been passed fit to run the day before. Hayes also produces Helene Elegance, his very fast Australian import, in tonight's feature. The four-year-old, who raced for John Hawkes' stable in Australia as Cosset and won in Listed class, trialled nicely at Sha Tin last week but Hayes is not convinced he is ready to show his top form. 'He's a bit dry in the coat and I think anyone who looks at him in the parade will see that he hasn't quite acclimatised,' Hayes said. 'I think he will be a nice money-spinner in Hong Kong but perhaps not yet.' Jockey Club chiefs will also be taking a keen interest in Helene Elegance, who is the second highly-rated private purchase (PP) to emerge from the Hayes yard so far this season following Caracoler's unplaced run in the HKSAR Chief Executive's Cup. The Club has released figures to show that the standard of the PP horses has lifted this year, although the numbers are virtually identical to last season. Twenty-eight PPs have arrived since the end of last season, with an average rating four points higher at 85, and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, the Club's director of racing, said the response of owners to initiatives aimed at raising the quality of racing was 'satisfactory' given the economic climate. Stephen Baster will be back at Sha Tin tonight after having to stand down during the midweek meeting at Happy Valley. 'I got a chest infection and was on antibiotics,' Baster said yesterday. 'I thought I'd get through my three rides on Wednesday night, but the muggy conditions didn't help. I'll be fighting fit for Saturday.'