Jockey Jamie Mott has tricky task from wide gate in Cranbourne Cup

The Cranbourne Cup barrier draw played against jockey Jamie Mott but the course layout could help him early in Saturday’s $500,000 feature.

Jockey Jamie Mott and Mighty Ulysses will need to overcome a tough draw in Saturday's $500,000 Cranbourne Cup. Picture: Racing Photos via Racing Photos

A long back straight could be the saviour of jockey Jamie Mott’s chances of winning his first Cranbourne Cup.

Mott finished second aboard Group 1 winner Callsign Mav but faces a tricky task to go one better on Mighty Ulysses in Saturday’s $500,000 contest.

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Mighty Ulysses drew barrier 14 but a long chute will give Mott an almost straight run of 800m in which to find a position on the British-bred galloper.

Mott said some early good fortune would assist him.

“The barrier is just one of those things but I’m really happy with my horse,” Mott said.

“Gate 14 means he’ll need a bit of luck but every horse needs a bit of luck to win.”

Mott steered Mighty Ulysses to a first-up win at Group 3 level at Caulfield on October 19 but the six-year-old was well held at his next start in Group 2 company at Flemington a fortnight later.

Mott said the two weeks between runs might not have been enough for the Annabel Neasham and Rob Archibald-trained gelding.

The Group 1-winning jockey said a track gallop on the course proper at Cranbourne on Tuesday morning indicated Mighty Ulysses was ready to improve sharply in the Cranbourne Cup.

Mighty Ulysses storms home to take out the last at Caulfield! @[e-mail]/zWDcWo2zha

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

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“He was flat second-up,” Mott said.

“He probably went so well first-up and only had a two week turnaround to his second-up run.

“Although he paraded and worked well going into it, I think the break between runs was a bit too quick for him.

“The team have freshened him up really well and I galloped him on Tuesday and he was more like the Mighty Ulysses I know.

“He pulled my arms out around the Cranbourne course proper and was going great late.

“He gave me a feel that he’s going to be right back to his best.”

Stepping up to 1600m will suit Mighty Ulysses, who has a terrific record of five wins and a second from nine starts over the distance.

Mighty Ulysses dead-heated for first at Group 3 level over the mile in England and scored at Listed level over the trip in Brisbane during the winter carnival.

Mott said the early tempo would decide whether he adjusted his early tactics on the winner of six of 16 starts.

“There should be enough speed on for him but if there’s not, we might find ourselves in the first half of the field rather than the back half,” Mott said.

“If we can get any sort of luck from the gate, I think he can win.”

Originally published as Jockey Jamie Mott has tricky task from wide gate in Cranbourne Cup