Pride backing warrior Ceolwulf to lift against Waller’s superstar

Joe Pride has never shied away from the challenge of taking on Via Sistina with Ceolwulf this autumn – and he’s not about to start now.

Ceolwulf will be among those trying to depose Via Sistina in the $5 million Queen Elizabeth Stakes, the showpiece event of the Championships, at Randwick on Saturday.

It’s the autumn grand final for Australia’s best weight-for-age gallopers, with a few international stars thrown in, and Pride has been focused for months on getting Ceolwulf there as a genuine contender.

A straight-shooter and a great promoter of racing, the Warwick Farm trainer has welcomed the clash with Australia’s best galloper ever since his four-year-old son of Tavistock claimed the Epsom Handicap-King Charles III Stakes double over the mile at Randwick last October to stamp himself as a star.

The battle, though, has so far failed to live up to expectations, thanks to a disrupted preparation for Pride’s charge.

Via Sistina got the better of him first-up in the group 2 Apollo Stakes when they finished third and fourth behind Fangirl and Lindermann. And that’s been it.

Trainer Joe Pride hoses down Ceolwulf alongside his son, Brave, at Warwick Farm racecourse after track work on Thursday. Credit: Kate Geraghty

A leg abrasion prompted Pride to scratch Ceolwulf from the group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes, which Via Sistina won. He then went to the Canterbury Stakes, where he was fifth, before finishing third in a blanket finish to the George Ryder Stakes on the day Via Sistina cruised to victory in the Ranvet Stakes.

Ceolwulf then won the group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes in a photo-finish on April 1, while Via Sistina has enjoyed three weeks between runs with a tick-over trial in between.

It’s not what Pride envisioned, but he is confident Ceolwulf will produce his best on Saturday.

“They were probably going to clash three times, and they’ve ended up only clashing once so far,” Pride said.

“It wasn’t the ideal pathway, but he’s had sufficient racing to have him at his peak for the race that we always wanted to end up in, which is the main thing.

“You’re going to miss races, missing the ones along the way is better than missing your final.

“He’s in the race we wanted to be in. He’s had a great prep, in that I feel like he’s got plenty of Ks in his legs and he’s set to peak on Saturday.”

The contrasting fortunes continued at the Queen Elizabeth barrier draw. Via Sistina, a $1.90 Sportsbet favourite, drew gate one. Ceolwulf ($15) will start from the outside barrier in 15.

“We wasted some good gates in races he couldn’t really win because they were too short for him,” Pride said.

“We finally get the right race and that’s the draw, but look, it looks a pretty genuinely run race. Another thing he’s been looking for, he loves Randwick. That’s where he won his two group 1s.

“There will be wide open spaces, wide draw, it might actually play into his hands because he does like galloping room, and he’ll certainly get plenty of that on Saturday.”

Ceolwulf was expected to dominate the postponed Neville Sellwood Stakes last start, but he was far from brilliant. However, Pride has taken positives from the narrow win on heavy ground.

“He toughed it out,” he said. “Up 500 metres, the race was meant to be on the back up, but it ended up on the Tuesday, just a few little things all combined that probably do not make it the ideal assignment.

“But like good horses do, he found a way to get the job done, in a slowly run race. He’s taken a heap of improvement out of it, so I’m just looking forward to Saturday.

“The horse is spot on and I can’t wait to see him at 2000m at Randwick against these good horses.”

Also on the program, Pride has Sounds Of Heaven ($91) and last-start Emancipation Stakes winner Lekvarte ($41) in the group 1 Queen Of The Turf (1600m).

“Lekvarte is really good at the Randwick mile, so she gets another opportunity at it here, and she’s in the Chairman’s Sale after this, so we’ll see how she goes. It may be her last start, depending on who buys her,” he said.

“Sounds Of Heaven had a nice tick over trial on Monday, and I thought she trialled really well.

“We’ll be positive on her. We’ll go forward and be up in the first couple. I can see her running really well. I’m very happy with her.”

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