Celui emerges as Coolmore Stud Stakes contender for Damien Oliver and Brent Stanley after easy win at Bendigo
Celui was attracting offers from Hong Kong immediately after his impressive Bendigo win as trainer Brent Stanley dreams of winning his first Group 1 this spring.
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Celui could be the one, literally and figuratively, to help Bendigo trainer Brent Stanley realise a Group 1 dream.
Celui, the French word for “the one”, emerged as a candidate for top class three-year-old sprint races with an easy 3¾-length win on Wednesday at Bendigo.
Champion jockey Damien Oliver endorsed Stanley’s opinion of the Toronado colt with a pledge to “ride him wherever he goes”.
“Ollie’s words were he’s top class, he said just take on whatever you want,” Stanley said.
“I’ve had some good horses, been a chance of winning Group 1s, but this horse is probably a realistic option.
“We’ll see how he is over the next seven days and make a decision where he goes from here, there’s nothing in cement yet but the ideal situation is you go towards the Coolmore.”
Celui will be nominated for the Group 2 Danehill Stakes (1200m) at Flemington on Saturday week, a traditional Coolmore Stud Stakes lead-up but the alternatively, and potentially a more likely option, is the Listed Gothic Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield in October 21.
“I just wanted to see where he was today, he’s going to improve three or four lengths just on fitness out of today and I think with a bigger field and more speed on he’ll relax and go through his gears better, it was literally a track gallop for him today,” Stanley said.
Breathe, punters 😮â€ðŸ’¨
— Racing.com (@Racing) September 27, 2023
The very well-fancied Celui does it easily for @Cloud9Tbreds 💥 pic.twitter.com/hQ7BCGLUMd
Stanley confirmed Celui attracted interest from potential Hong Kong buyers straight after the Bendigo win.
“I’ve had a couple of messages, he’s a serious animal so it’s got to be a serious price,” Stanley said.
“I suspect I’ll get more calls the next 24-48 hours.
“If someone came up with the right figure and raced him on this prep with me, raced towards the Coolmore, they could turn their $1.2m into $20m.
“If I was a bloodstock agent or a buyer I’d be looking at those numbers … he’s only going to get better, he won in good time, cantered up.
“Ollie said he was in second gear the whole way.”
Celui, a $200,000 purchase, was the only yearling Stanley bought last year hence the “the one” French-inspired name.
The colt has returned $52,675 in prizemoney with two wins, both at Bendigo, and a second in Canberra last season.
He tackled the $2m Inglis Millenium at only his third start and over-raced, finishing 13th beaten 6½ lengths.
TAB has halved its quote for Celui, $51 into $26, in the pre-nominations Coolmore Stud Stakes market.
“We got to take on A-graders from here,” Stanley said.
“He’s literally been home half an hour and he’s nearly eaten up already, he’s such an easy horse to train, for a colt he’s got the best attitude.
“Fingers crossed I’ve finally got the Group 1 horse I need, everyone needs.”
Originally published as Celui emerges as Coolmore Stud Stakes contender for Damien Oliver and Brent Stanley after easy win at Bendigo
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