Timing right for Ceolwulf to spring back into form
After being forced to cut short the autumn campaign of Ceolwulf (NZ) (Tavistock), Joe Pride has one very good reason to believe the four-time Group One winner can return to his best this preparation.
Spelled after just two runs last time in due to a combination of feet issues and a minor bleed, the star miler will resume in Saturday's Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick.
Pride isn't expecting a winning return, but he is anticipating a bold run as the gelding heads towards his major goal of a third successive win in the King Charles III Stakes (1600m).
"He needed a good rest, and he's now had that rest," Pride said.
"We'll see a better version of him this spring, and it has always been a good time of year for him.
"He's won his four Group Ones all in the spring, and I don't think it's coincidental."
The only time Ceolwulf has featured in the placings first-up was on debut, but he was competitive in the Winx Stakes (1400m) last year, closing late to finish fourth to Via Sistina (Fastnet Rock).
Against a deep field on Saturday, Pride will be content to see him hitting the line with gusto, although any downgrade of the track from its current soft 7 rating will be in the horse's favour.
"I think it's going to come down to track conditions on the day. If it ends up being a bit wet and a few of the key chances come out, he could end up being a top three chance," Pride said.
"But I've certainly learned not to expect too much of him early in his preparations.
"He's never won first-up. He's run some nice races, but that's all I need to see from him, a nice return, and he'll build into the preparation as he always does."
Regular rider Chad Schofield will partner Ceolwulf, who was a $34 chance on Thursday with markets dominated by outstanding mares Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) ($1.85 fav) and Sheza Alibi (Sax0n Warriror) ($3.10). - NZ Racing Desk
Cup favourite Aeliana set for Memsie detour
The favourite for the $10 million Melbourne Cup is likely to campaign in Melbourne for the entire spring, with Aeliana (NZ) (Castelvecchio) now likely to run first-up in Saturday week’s Group 1 Memsie Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
The three-time G1 star was amongst the acceptances for Saturday’s G1 Winx Stakes (1400m) at Randwick, but trainer Chris Waller told SEN’s Giddyup With Gareth program on Thursday morning that the Memsie Stakes was a more likely first-up option for the five-year-old mare.
“Quite likely,” Waller told Gareth Hall when asked of a Memsie Stakes diversion.
“I don’t think we put a jockey down for Saturday and I don’t want to get a fine, so it tells you that we are not going to run but she’s there if we change our mind.
“You just never know. She is in the field so you might as well wait, but at this stage I would say she is unlikely and will go to the Memsie.”
Aeliana’s Memsie Stakes price has been slashed into $4 and she is set to run even shorter as the Winx-bound Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior) is still marked the $2.50 Memsie favourite.
Aeliana is the current $8 favourite for the Melbourne Cup ahead of last year’s champion Half Yours (St Jean) ($10) with Sir Delius (Frankel) next at $11.
Her potential withdrawal from the Winx will make the visiting mare Sheza Alibi’s task a little easier at Randwick this Saturday, but the Victorian star will still face the might of Waller’s stable star Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun) as well as a number of other G1 performers from his stable.
Waller has won the Winx Stakes (formerly Warwick Stakes) nine times and said the race was a crucial one for his stable as far as their spring planning is concerned
“It’s actually a really important starting point for my horses because if you miss it, it is sort of hard to catch up – you can – but it’s hard,” Waller said.
“You’ve got a horse like Autumn Glow or Via Sistina or Winx or Verry Elleegant (NZ), they are expected to run well so you sort of have them pretty forward. But at the same time, you’ve got to be ready for that tough challenge and for them to bounce through the race.
“I am always the most apprehensive going into this day than any other. You’ve been in the grand final and you’ve had your break and you’ve come back through the prep-season and we’re into the first round.
“You are a bit apprehensive going in first-up until you see them run, It doesn’t matter how well you are training them or what the figures or the stats are. It comes down to the last 100 metres of the race.” - Racing.com
Crocetti on song for season resumption
Last season was one to forget for the connections of dual Group One winner Crocetti (NZ) (Zacinto), and they are hoping he can return to his form of old this term.
Following an unsuccessful hit-and-run mission on the A$5 million Quokka (1200m) in Perth last year, the son of Zacinto just had the two starts last season, and things went awry on more than one occasion.
“We left him out a bit longer and he missed spring racing, and with his high rating there were no races for him,” said Danny Walker, who trains in partnership with Arron Tata.
“I had him in at Rotorua and I scratched him because it was a bit too wet. He then got a spider bite, so we had to treat him for that.
“He went okay in the Telegraph (Gr.1, 1200m), I was quite happy with his run (finishing eighth equal). The inside 5m was like gold and he got into the worst part of the ground, and he pugged on okay.
“He pulled up a bit average after (finishing last in) the Railway (Gr.1, 1200m). We scoped him at the races and found he had a lot of mucus in his trachea. We treated him and he couldn’t turn around and go to the BCD Group Sprint (Gr.1, 1400m), so there was only one race for him at weight-for-age, so we decided to give him a good spell.”
Walker said he has thrived during his time in the paddock, and he is pleased with the way he has returned, which was emphasised by his trial win at Ruakaka over 1050m at the start of the month.
“It was a nice trial and he has come on since his trial,” Walker said. “Arron galloped him on Saturday and Wednesday and he is really happy with him.”
Crocetti will resume in Saturday’s Gr.2 Waikato Stud Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa, and while pleased with his charge, Walker is aware of the task ahead of him against a strong field.
“I think it is one of the best Foxbridge Plates there has been for years,” he said.
Alabama Lass currently heads the market for the race on $2.50, with Crocetti the fourth elect at $10, behind First Five ($6.50) and Churchillian ($8.50).
All going to plan, Crocetti will progress to the first two legs of the Spring Triple Crown.
“He will go from here to the Proisir Plate (Gr.1, 1400m) and then to the Howden Mile (Gr.1, 1600m), and that is all that is left for him in the spring,” Walker said.
While Crocetti hasn’t raced over a mile since winning the Gr.1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas (1600m) as a three-year-old, Walker is looking forward to extending him past sprint distances this season.
“We would like to get him up to a mile,” he said. “The new kids on the block are a bit sharper over 1200m, but I think 1400m to a mile is ideal for him.”
Meanwhile, the stable could be in for an exciting season with Crocetti’s three-year-old half-sister Shalabiya, who finished runner-up behind She’s No Saint in last Saturday’s Gr.3 Northland Breeders’ Stakes (1200m) at Ruakaka.
“We are really proud of her,” Walker said. “It was a nice run, she just got beaten by a better horse on the day. She will have her day in the sun.”
The daughter of Brazen Beau is on a path towards the Gr.1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m) at Riccarton in November, with the Gr.2 Windsor Park Stud Soliloquy Stakes (1400m) at Ellerslie in October her next major assignment.
“We have just got to get there (Riccarton) in the right state and make sure everything is 100 percent,” Walker said. “She won’t go to the Gold Trail (Gr.3, 1200m), she will probably go to the Soliloquy.”
Walker is also excited about the prospects of several other stable members this season, including three-year-old Turn Me Loose gelding Loose’N’Eight.
“I think he will shape up,” Walker said. “He will probably trial in September when the tracks are better, he is a decent track horse.” - Joshua Smith
Paul Vettise
NZ Racing Desk
