Ceolwulf begins build up with polytrack trial
Master trainer Joe Pride isn’t locked into Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock) attempting a three-peat in the Gr.1 A$5 million King Charles III Stakes on Everest Day at Royal Randwick during the Sydney spring carnival.
Pride admitted he is preparing Ceolwulf for the King Charles on October 17 but is wary of super mares, Autumn Glow and Sheza Alibi.
"The plan is to have him ready to go for the King Charles,'' Pride told Racing And Sports. "But there are a lot of different scenarios.
"If the two good mares (Autumn Glow, Sheza Alibi) are absolutely airborne and beating him in the lead-ups, then I would not be averse to going straight to the Cox Plate a week later.
"But I'm keeping an open mind, he could even run in both races.''
Autumn Glow's connections have stated they won't start the three-time Group One winner at 2000m again after the first loss of her career when third in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes in April, thus ruling out a Group 1 $6 million Cox Plate campaign.
There is also a very real possibility Autumn Glow could go to the Gr.1 A$20 million The TAB Everest on the same day as the King Charles.
Sheza Alibi, winner of the Randwick Guineas and Doncaster Mile last autumn, is also likely to miss the Cox Plate picture as she is being set for the Gr.1 A$10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Royal Randwick on October 31.
In early TAB Fixed Odds betting for the King Charles, Autumn Glow is the $1.80 favourite ahead of Sheza Alibi at $3.50 with Ceolwulf on the third line of betting alongside Pride Of Jenni at $8.
Ceolwulf, winner of four Group One races including successive King Charles III Stakes (2024, 2025) and nearly A$11 million prizemoney, took the first steps along the comeback trail when he "stretched his legs" finishing unplaced in a 740m barrier trial at Warwick Farm on Tuesday.
Pride prematurely ended Ceolwulf's autumn campaign earlier this year after the rising six-year-old ran unplaced in successive starts and was found to have some minor hoof issues.
But Pride is adamant Ceolwulf can return to his Group One-winning form this spring before explaining why his stable star contested a Polytrack trial rather than compete against the Group and Listed horses in the course proper trial.
"Barrier trials are a lot more genuine than they used to be and Ceolwulf's such a competitive, enthusiastic horse, I didn't want him chasing too hard against those sharp sprinters,'' Pride said.
"He will have two more serious trials, one at Warwick Farm on August 4 and then eight days before the Winx Stakes (August 22) there is a set of trials at Randwick.
"He still is a long way off his goals this spring, it will be a slow and steady build-up for him.''
