Joe Pride insists Ceolwulf has improvement to come for Queen Elizabeth Stakes after scraping home win in Neville Sellwood Stakes at Rosehill

Joe Pride concedes Ceolwulf will needs to improve to threaten Via Sistina in the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes after scrambling to a narrow victory in the Neville Sellwood Stakes at Rosehill.

Ceolwulf had to dig deep to win the Neville Sellwood Stakes by the barest of margins at Rosehill on Tuesday. Pictures: Getty Images and X

Trainer Joe Pride conceded Ceolwulf needs to improve to threaten champion mare Via Sistina in their showdown for the Group 1 $5m Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2000m) at Royal Randwick next week.

But Pride maintains Ceolwulf will be a “fitter, better version of himself” after a scrambling win in the Group 2 $300,000 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill Gardens on Tuesday.

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“I’ll be honest, he presented like he was going to win by a couple of lengths but he didn’t do that,’’ Pride said.

“Chad (Schofield) rode him a treat, rode him beautifully. He had a big weight on testing ground and jumping up 500m so he’ll take nice progression from this run.

“He’s still presenting a little bit big. He was 522kg when we put him on the scales yesterday.

“To put that into perspective, he was low 480kg when he won the King Charles.

“He’s never going to get down to that weight again but I’d like to see him drop another five or 10kg for next week.’’

Ceolwulf ($1.50 favourite) had to dig deep under Schofield to reel in gallant frontrunner Just Fine ($16) to win by a nose with Our Gold Hope ($14) charging home for a close third.

A huge win to Ceolwulf in the G2 Neville Sellwood Stakes - what a finish!! 🥵@SchofieldChad | @PrideRacing | @aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/usXVOly5eE

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) April 1, 2025

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Via Sistina is aiming for her seventh Group 1 win of the season in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes on Saturday week (April 12) and is a dominant $1.70 favourite with TAB ahead of Ceolwulf at $6.

“I wanted a good hitout for him over 2000m and he certainly got that,’’ Pride said.

“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 – and he’ll have to be a lot better next week.”

Schofield said he had to ride Ceolwulf “a little upside down” to get the desired result.

“We were giving some classy horses weight and I thought the only way that we can get beat is if we give him too much to do,’’ Schofield said.

“He didn’t look as dynamic as we hoped but it is difficult to give rock-hard fit, decent horses a lot of weight and still beat them, which he did.

“For sure, he has improvement to come.’’

Originally published as Joe Pride insists Ceolwulf has improvement to come for Queen Elizabeth Stakes after scraping home win in Neville Sellwood Stakes at Rosehill