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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Annabel Neasham has found getting into the head of talented galloper Mighty Ulysses a shade challenging but feels the prospect of a wet track at Rosehill on Saturday may provide the key.

Trainer Annabel Neasham (Pic: Bradley Photos).

In six starts since joining Neasham, and co-trainer Rob Archibald, the import’s best performances have come on rain affected ground.

With Kembla Grange last weekend racing on the firmer side, the decision to bypass The Gong and focus on the Group 3 $250,000 James Squire Festival Stakes (1500m) appears a good one and Neasham said on Sky Sports Radio she hopes it pays off.

“It’s taking me a while to figure him out but we’ve had two wins with him and they’ve both been on soft tracks,’’ she said.

“I’m hoping with the rain forecast it can really fall into his favour.”

Mighty Ulysses, $10 with TAB on Thursday, won the Group 3 Moonga Stakes on a soft 6 first-up from a spell before finishing six lengths behind Another Wil at Group 2 level at Flemington on a good track.

Neasham said she was let down by his last start but with conditions likely to suit and some improvement in settling in his races should provide the platform to run up to his best.

“He’s a very talented horse, I’d nearly say he’s the most talented horse in the stable but he’s just a bit awkward,’’ she said.

“His first-up win was brilliant at Caulfield then he raced a bit flat I thought at Flemington.

“Last preparation we struggled to get him to relax but his racing manners seem much better now.”

It’s likely the quintet from the Neasham and Archibald yard in the Listed $200,000 ATC Cup (2000m) will be whittled down to about three with Naval College and Little Mix also engaged at Caulfield.

Neasham said the duo will likely race there while Spirit Ridge, Jimi Hendrix and Hopeful fly the flag at Rosehill.

Jimi Hendrix has proven to be another headscratcher for Neasham in his time in the stable with, ironically, a second behind Mighty Ulysses back in April his best performance to date.

“He was good first-up in the Seymour Cup but was really disappointing at Caulfield last time so he needs to bounce back,’’ she said.

“He’s another horse I’m struggling to come to grips with.

“He’s got the ability. He ran second to Mighty Ulysses last campaign, he’s a Royal Ascot winner, he’s just taking some time to hit his straps here.”

Ten-year-old Spirit Ridge is searching for his first win since January last year and Neasham said he’s better suited compared to The Beauford second-up where he ran eighth under 61kg.

He was narrowly beaten by Lindermann in the Group 3 Craven Plate fresh and she hopes he can run up to that performance.

“He probably just had to work a bit hard the other day at Newcastle,’’ she said.

“He went from 1800m up to the 2300m and he probably just for a bit tired late so back to the 2000m suit him.”

A wet track would be music to Hopeful’s ears, Neasham said, after he failed to fire first-up at Newcastle two weeks ago – but he also had a genuine reason for it.

Mighty Ulysses storms home to take out the last at Caulfield! @ANeashamRacing @jamieleemott pic.twitter.com/zWDcWo2zha

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) October 19, 2024

Mighty Ulysses wins at Caulfield. Video: 7HorseRacing

Prior to a break Hopeful ran second to Eliyass and then Sir Lucan in the Lord Mayors Cup and Winter Cup respectively on heavy ground.

“He’s an absolute mudlark. He had a cardiac arrhythmia at Newcastle, I thought the run was too bad to be true and when he got vet checked there was that excuse,’’ she said.

“He should bounce back from that and if he gets plenty of rain he’ll probably shorten in the market.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Rosehill meeting