The draw Gods were smiling on Caspar Fownes’ Saturday runners and the trainers’ premiership leader is hoping he can make it pay when he assembles an eight-strong squad to try and drive home his five-win advantage at the top of the table.

In a championship battle that has ebbed and flowed, Fownes looks to finally have a stranglehold on what would be his fifth title, saddling winners at five of the last six meetings to keep Danny Shum Chap-shing and Mark Newnham at arm’s length.

It is a long way back for the chasers and to make matters worse for them, four of Fownes’ eight runners have drawn barrier one, which could be another decisive swing.

“Four gates ones is something I’d take every week,” Fownes said. “We won’t complain, that’s for sure. We’ve had our fair share of bad draws for the season, but hopefully it has levelled out now and we get some gates for the last four meetings when it really matters.”

Perhaps the biggest of Fownes’ chances does not run from the inside barrier, however, with Tang Heart drawing barrier three as he looks to break his local duck in the Class Three Lee Trophy (1,400m).

A dual winner in Australia pre-import at Kembla Grange and Hawkesbury, he has performed well in a pair of 1,200m races at Sha Tin, most recently when charging home into sixth from a difficult position.

He now steps up in distance and Fownes is hoping that will be the catalyst to a winning performance from the Exceed And Excel galloper.

“He ran very well in his first two starts in Hong Kong. He’s drawn a good gate and steps up in trip to the 1,400m distance – he should perform well again,” Fownes said.

In the feature race of the day, the Class Two Li Cup (1,200m), Fownes will rely on Sky Trust, a horse he has also held in very high regard.

A three-time winner this campaign, he takes a drop in grade from a recent Group Three assignment and is one of the four with barrier one berths to aid his chance.

“Him and Perfect General have won three races for us this season, so they’ve already flown the flag very nicely for the stable. He presents well and obviously if there’s any rain around that would help, as he’s definitely better with sting out of the ground,” Fownes said

“He’s got a good gate and will hopefully get a truck up run, which will be good for him. It’ll suit him in a small field.”

Speaking of Perfect General, the Zoustar galloper will be looking to prove he is not just a one-trick pony when he bids for a first Sha Tin victory in the Class Three Philip Chen Trophy (1,200m).

A four-time winner at Happy Valley, with three of those coming this campaign, he has only run at Sha Tin for two of his 14 starts. Barrier one and coming into the race as a last-start winner should give him every chance.

“He’s in great form, two trials ago his trial was substandard and then I got Joao over there and he trialled really nicely last week,” Fownes said.

“He presents in great form and gate one is going to help him and it’s interesting to see him round the turn at Sha Tin. I’m looking forward to that race and hopefully he’ll give us a good performance.”

Another last-start winner for Fownes is Verbier, who will be looking to make the plum draw count when he goes for career win number four in the Class Five Swaine Cup (1,200m).

“He’s very versatile. Again, rain would do him no harm and he draws gate one, which is magic. He’s going to present well, but obviously he copped an 8lb penalty for his win last week,” Fownes said.

“We chucked him in being the last race of his season so while he’s in good form, we’re going to try and get what we can for the owners – that’s what it’s all about.”

Daily Trophy is the other of Fownes’ runners to be graced with barrier one, while Pejibaye, Decision Link and Golden Gunners round off his team.