The local horseman has set four-year-old Al Maher gelding Baites for the $100,000 event over 1400 metres and his year-long planning comes down to a race that will be over in less than a minute and a half.

“He’s a lovely horse now and has plenty of character,” Hayes said.

“He’ll eventually get further but he’s had a couple of very good wins over 1400 metres.

“It’s been a long time planning. I’ve targeted this race for him 12 months ago and always had The Championships in mind.”

Four of his past five wins have come at his past eight starts after his first eight were plagued by issues relating to his racing manners.

Hayes is certain it’s all past him now and that he can continue to show his true ability on race day.

“He used to be a big kid but he’s grown up now and hopefully he can go on with it,” he said.

“He was hard to handle as a three-year-old and it definitely cost him a few wins. He’s by Al Maher and they tend to get better with age.”

Despite going on a good winning run since May last year, Baites hasn’t started at less than $4.40 and has often been sent out at double figure odds, with punters perhaps still concerned he may return to his old  ways.

His effort last start in the Country Championships preview at Coonamble should have restored the faith after he was headed by John D’Non before fighting back to defeat him.

He paid $11 that day after drifting out from $7.

“I’m not sure what the punters are thinking, but he did come up against a good horse [Snippy Sip] first-up this preparation and I’ve used apprentices on him,” Hayes said.

“It was a very hot day and the track was firm and it took him a few days to get over that run but I’m happy with him heading into the race.”

Hayes is also hopeful his six-year-old mare Tropical Spirit gets a run after she returned from a couple of wins in far north Queensland to have another crack at qualifying for the $400,000 final at Royal Randwick on April 9.

She finished sixth last year to Binalong Road and is coming off a 6.5-length trial win at Cowra on March 5.

“She had to do that against those sort of horses if she was going to be competitive in the Country Championships,” Hayes said.

“She’s hard to train. She doesn’t eat well but hopefully I’ll get her right on the day.

“I don’t think there’s a lot between them but in saying that they’re so hard to line up. He’ll go out and work over 600 metres in 34 or 35 seconds and she won’t even run that.”

-      Matt Jones has had a keen interest in horse racing since backing Jeune in the 1994 Melbourne Cup. After university, Matt covered racing for Fairfax for five years before joining Racing NSW to write for its magazine and website. thechampionships.com.au