War Machine hasn't raced since beating three home in the Newmarket Handicap over Saturday's course and distance in March.
Hayes said the sprinter was afforded a good break after a long campaign last year after joining their stable in late April 2025.
"He lost his way a bit last preparation," Hayes said.
"He had a long prep. He went to Queensland, freshened, came back, went to The Everest, came back, but just didn't come up in the autumn.
"He had a long break, and he seems to have come back really well.
"His work at home has been great and seems a happier horse. He's enjoying his trackwork, so hopefully that converts to some good runs."
Lindsay Park has made use of their many 'training bases' with Arkansaw Kid who spent time at the stable's Euroa base while also having a stint at Pakenham.
Arkansaw Kid was taken to Traralgon for a jump-out on July 14 before running second in a jump-out at Flemington last week.
"We changed things around with him to keep him thinking," Hayes said.
"He's been in work a long time, so it was like changing stables, without changing stables.
"I thought his Traralgon jump-out was good, his jump-out on Friday was great and he's always been a consistent, good horse, for the stable and is a horse we all love.
"He's good down the straight, he's won a couple of Bobbie Lewis', so he knows what he's doing."
Ndola returned off a break to win the Listed Santa Ana Lane Series Final on July 4 and was kept up to the mark with a jump-out victory over War Machine last week.
Hayes said they gave the sprinter the jump-out to keep his fitness levels up as he was going to be four weeks between races.
"He was good fresh when he got away with murder in front and they couldn't catch him," Hayes said.
"It's a step up in class and he's running against some very good horses, but he deserves to be there."
