Favourite backers breathed a collective sigh of relief when a small margin victory went the way of $1.50 chance Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) in a photo-finish to the Gr.2 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on Tuesday.
The Joe Pride-trained four-year-old carried 59.5kg topweight to wear down Just Fine by a nose with Our Gold Hope in third.
“It wasn’t really the result that counted today – it is easy to say that after a race – but it is more about the performance,” Pride said.
“I’ll be honest, he presented like he was going to win by a couple of lengths but he didn’t do that.
“That was only his second go on a heavy track and while he went well on it in the Derby when he was younger, maybe he’d prefer something a bit firmer now.”
Ridden by Chad Schofield, Pride said Ceolwulf would take good progression from the victory after stepping up 500m in trip with a big weight on a testing track.
“That is why I wanted to run him over 2000m as the majority of my horses and this horse as well, the second run over 2000m they have, they are better,” Pride said.
“He’ll have to be a lot better this week.”
“I wanted a good hitout for him over 2000m and he certainly got that. He’s still presenting a little bit big. He was 522-kilos when we put him on the scales yesterday.
“Putting that in perspective, he was low 480s when he won the King Charles (Gr.1, 1600m). He’s never going to get down to that weight again but I’d like to see him drop another five or ten.
“We’ll give him a couple of nice gallops in between now and the Queen Elizabeth (Gr.1, 2000m). Something to reflect on.”
Ceolwulf was bred by Cambridge Stud owners Brendan and Jo Lindsay and is a son of the Shamardal mare Las Brisas.
The gelding is a graduate of the 2022 New Zealand Bloodstock Ready to Run Sale, where Pride and part-owner Leighton Howl went to $170,000 to secure him from Riversley Park’s draft.
A dual Group One winner at a mile, Ceolwulf has now won five of his 18 starts and advanced his career earnings to A$5,779,900.