Heading the trainers’ championship after a successful start to the season, David Hayes has identified Samarkand as the pick of his seven runners at Happy Valley on Wednesday night.

The champion Australian handler has prepared five winners and as many seconds from the first five meetings this term, with last Sunday’s double at Sha Tin propelling him to the top of the premiership standings.

“What I like is that a lot of horses are running in the first four,” Hayes said.

“They’re weighing in all the time and running well. I’m especially pleased with my ‘E’ horses, which are the old boys that have been in the system for four years.

“They’re running really well – the Red Majestys, Harmony N Blessed, those old boys. I think I’ll keep [the good form] going for a while.”

Boasting a strong team of seven at the city circuit, Hayes highlighted Samarkand as a significant improver in the Class Three Central Handicap (1,650m) off the back of an encouraging return.

A four-time winner at the Valley last term, Samarkand resumed with a close second to the promising Helene Warrior on September 11.

Hayes has a strong hand in the Central Handicap with Red Majesty, who also ran a close second first up at the Valley, joining Samarkand.

“I think Samarkand has probably held his form and has Zac [Purton] on,” Hayes said.

“Red Majesty’s in terrific form with a light weight. Samarkand’s drawn a bit wide, but Zac seems to work it out pretty well, doesn’t he? [Samarkand’s] track work has really gone upwards since his first-up run.”

Samarkand has drawn barrier nine, while Red Majesty jumps from gate six and carries 118 pounds with Keith Yeung Ming-lun booked to ride.

One of two Class Three events on the eight-race card, the Central Handicap also features consistent types California Voce, Hameron, Noble Pursuit, Chain Of Gold, Solar Partner, Greenwich and I Can.

Hayes also expects big improvement from Sight Happy in the second section of the Class Four North Point Handicap (1,200m) after a fair return.

Sent off the $3.9 second elect, the four-year-old settled in the box seat but was no match for all-the-way winner, Scotch Tycoon, when finishing fourth.

“He’ll improve out of sight,” Hayes said.

“I got him a bit wrong, I had him a bit fresh first up. He’s got a good barrier again. I think he can improve as well, he wouldn’t be the roughest.”

Chasing his first win at start five, Sight Happy jumps from barrier one with Alexis Badel on board.

Sunny Baby is another strong chance for the Hayes-Purton combination in the Class Five Wan Chai Handicap (1,800m), coming off a closing second to Go Go Go in the opening race of the season at Sha Tin.

However, Hayes is wary of the seven-year-old’s poor winning strike rate with just three victories from 44 career starts.

“Sunny Baby is hard to catch, but he was good first up and should run a good race,” Hayes said.

Snowalot, Gallant Crown and Allgreektome, who returns from injury in the Class Three Causeway Bay Handicap (1,000m), are Hayes’ other runners.

“A couple of the old boys have drawn well, so they’ve been running well at the start of the season for me and hopefully we can get another winner or two,” Hayes said.

“I’d be surprised if Allgreektome won. He’s a bit fat and will need the run.”

Hayes was at Conghua on Tuesday morning to watch stable star Ka Ying Rising, a brilliant first-up winner of the Class One HKSAR Chief Executive’s Cup (1,200m), work on the turf.

“He’s had two easy weeks and I’ll start building him up again now. He loves it up there in Conghua,” Hayes said.