David Hayes is hoping to mount a siege of Mark Newnham’s trainers’ premiership lead when he sends a squad of four last-start winners at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

Four winners behind Newnham in the table on 48, Hayes is squarely in contention for his first title since the 1998-99 season, when he went back to back after securing his maiden success in 1997-98.

Only eight winners separate Newnham (52), Caspar Fownes (51), Danny Shum Chap-shing (51), Hayes, Francis Lui Kin-wai (46) and John Size (44), with the title race really beginning to heat up as we reach the business end.

“We’ve had a couple of quiet meetings so it would be nice to have some winners – we’ve been a bit unlucky with a couple of seconds and thirds of late,” Hayes said. “We’ve got plenty of in-form horses, so fingers crossed.”

All six of the title contenders have runners in the feature Class Two ParisLongchamp Handicap (1,650m), with Hayes unleashing course specialist Soleil Fighter on the race.

Winner of the DBS x Manulife Million Challenge two seasons ago, the sprightly six-year-old was a winner two starts ago at the Valley over 1,800m, before shaping better than the bare result at Sha Tin subsequently.

He has won four races at the city circuit in his career and placed a further nine times, making him very difficult to keep out of the frame from a solid draw in stall six.

“He’s a very good Happy Valley horse, he’s won the Million Challenge and he’s trialled well. He’s lovely fresh, he’s fit and in brilliant shape,” Hayes said.

Vigor Eye, who runs in the first section of the Class Four Chantilly Handicap (1,200m), is one of the last-start winners for Hayes and will be looking to build on a confidence-building victory last time out.

Having gone close on four of his first five starts at Sha Tin, the swap to Happy Valley worked the oracle last month when he secured his maiden success under Zac Purton after a handy run.

Hayes is hoping now that he has tasted his first win, that can spur him on to get another on the board.

“I think those horses, once they get that winning feeling they find it a bit easier. He’ll be hard to beat from stall seven,” Hayes said.

Similar comments apply to Dashing Maurison, who ran his rivals ragged from the front to collect his first win at the 11th attempt at the Valley two weeks ago, taking advantage of a rain-affected track and the addition of blinkers.

He has drawn stall two for the first section of the Class Four Saint-Cloud Handicap (1,650m) and the only concern for Hayes is a drop back from the 1,800m trip.

“It’s not ideal going back down in trip, but a draw in stall two is perfect and he’ll jump and go forward, so fingers crossed,” Hayes said.

Another last-start winner for Hayes is All Round Winner in the Class Three French May Trophy (1,650m), while World Hero will bid for a hat-trick – and to defy stall 12 for a second consecutive start – in the second section of the Chantilly Handicap.

Hayes also runs Harmony N Blessed in the Class Three Deauville Handicap (1,200m), a horse who he thinks is “always hard to beat” in the grade and comes into the race off a solid second in a similar contest, while his squad is rounded off by Precision Hope and Oriental Surprise.

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