Trainer Joe Pride will back up Ceolwulf in Saturday’s Group 3 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill, using the race as a lead-in to the Queen Elizabeth Stakes (Group 1, 2000m) at Randwick on April 12.
Pride had considered the Doncaster Mile as an alternate path but opted for a more measured approach into the Queen Elizabeth.
“This just looked like the obvious race,” Pride said. “The Doncaster was also on the cards, but the only trouble with that is it would mean him backing up into the Queen Elizabeth.
The decision I had to make was: what race do we think we’re the best chance of winning? And I’ve come up with the Queen Elizabeth. To do that, giving him two weeks into it is the smart play.”
Ceolwulf’s autumn preparation was briefly interrupted when a leg abrasion forced a change of plans, prompting a step back in distance for the Canterbury Stakes (Group 1, 1300m), where he finished fifth.
He then bounced back with a strong third in the George Ryder Stakes (Group 1, 1600m) last weekend behind Gringotts and Fangirl.
“Because we missed a run, I was left back-tracking a little bit and had to give him a [Canterbury Stakes] run that didn’t really matter, but that he had to have,” Pride said. “After last Saturday, I think the horse is very much back on track.”
Ceolwulf will jump from barrier ten in the Sellwood with Chad Schofield to ride.
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