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By Ray Hickson

Trainer Annabel Neasham is under no illusions about the job facing last start Group 1 winner Port Lockroy at Randwick on Saturday but says she’s taking a very much in-form horse to the races.

The four-year-old is back on the east coast having claimed the Railway Stakes three weeks ago in Perth and Neasham said on Sky Sports Radio the horse has taken the travel in his stride.

He faces a steep weight rise into the Group 2 $2 million The Ingham (1600m) but Neasham, who co-trains with Rob Archibald, feels he deserves his chance.

“He had to fly back into Melbourne because that was the only option,’’ she said.

Annabel Neasham (Pic: Trackside).

“He had just under a week there to break up the trip and he’s back in Sydney. He galloped on Tuesday, he’s very fit now so he doesn’t take much work.

“He won with 53kg on his back, he’s carrying 58kg on Saturday now he has that higher rating. He is a horse with confidence and we think the mile is his sweet spot.

“It’d be a nice way to end the preparation if we could knock off another big race with him.”

Port Lockroy, $9.50 with TAB on Thursday, is one of two in The Ingham from the stable and has a much cushier draw in three than Mighty Ulysses who faces a gate close to the outside in a capacity field.

That will likely spark a change of tactics on the gelding, who sat right behind the speed before running fourth in the Festival Stakes (1500m) two weeks ago behind Private Eye.

“We’re going to need a bit of luck,’’ she said.

“He was very good first-up at Caulfield on a soft track then I probably ran him a bit too soon, he was a bit flat on a track that was probably too firm.

“He bounced back with a better run behind Private Eye. He actually settled a lot closer than we expected that day and he didn’t have cover because the horse in front never crossed to the rail.”

English jockey Harry Davies will partner Mighty Ulysses, the 20-year-old is set to spend the summer in Sydney and Neasham said he could have been handed an easier job at his first meeting.

“We’re throwing him in the deep end but he’s here for the experience,’’ she said.

“He’s a very promising young jockey, looks very talented. He rode a lot of winners as an apprentice there, he’s been out of his time for a season or two. He looks like he’s strong in a finish.”

Meanwhile, in-form gelding Eye Of The Fire looks to stretch his winning run to three in the Saddles At Mount White Handicap (1200m).

Neasham is wary he’s jumping 3kg in weight on his sweeping win at Rosehill second-up but feels the barrier offsets that extra impost.

“I think the inside draw will suit, he has a bad habit this preparation of getting on one rein and doing a few things wrong,’’ she said.

“We think with a softer draw, horses on his outside will keep him more honest. He’s a talented horse and certainly on the way up.”

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