Ceolwulf wins the 2024 Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick

Exciting four-year-old Ceolwulf has produced an electric turn of foot to storm home and win the Group 1 Epsom at Randwick.

Chad Schofield celebrates as he wins the Group 1 Epsom Handicap aboard Ceolwulf at Randwick. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

Joe Pride was able to put behind him the Premiere Stakes debacle by winning one the famous Randwick miles races with potentially the best horse he has trained.

Ceolwulf announced himself as racing’s next big thing with a stunning effort in the Group 1 $1.5m Epsom Handicap at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

Pride has been singing Ceolwulf’s praises to anyone prepared to listen for months now and the gelding delivered on the big stage – exactly four years to the day since he was foaled.

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Ridden by Chad Schofield, Ceolwulf came from the second half of the field early, was the widest runner on the turn and stormed home wide out to win the Epsom.

“This is a very special horse with a big ‘engine’,’’ Pride said.

“He’s just a good horse on the rise and he is only going to get better.’’

Ceolwulf ($4 favourite) finished so he was able to win by a widening one-and-a-quarter lengths from Godolphin’s Tom Kitten ($12) with Royal Patronage ($6.50) three-quarters of a length away third.

It's Ceolwulf right down the outside in the TAB Epsom and he sails away to take the famous G1 mile for @SchofieldChad and @PrideRacing! 🏆@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/irirNeZGse

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024

• What the jockeys said: 2024 Epsom Handicap Day

In just over an hour, Pride certainly experienced racing’s rollercoaster when his sprinter Mazu was just beaten by Airman in the Premiere Stakes while stablemate Think About It was a victim of race tactics and ran only sixth.

“After the best exhibition or reverse team riding you have ever seen this win was a big relief,’’ Pride said.

“We knew Ceolwulf had the right sort of profile coming into it and that was fantastic.

“He’s an amazing athlete, and as I say, the best is yet to come. He’ll run a little bit further than that but no need to toy with that too much at the moment.’’

"This is a very special horse... I've been in love with him for a long time"

Hear from @PrideRacing after Ceolwulf was a fantastic winner of the G1 TAB Epsom today!@aus_turf_clubpic.twitter.com/Dw792VyjWy

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 5, 2024

• Everest hopes up in the Air after Premiere Stakes boilover

Pride admitted he has a number of options with Ceolwulf including the Group 2 $2m Hill Stakes (1900m) at Rosehill Gardens next Saturday or wait for the Group 1 $5m King Charles III Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick on October 19.

There’s also the $10m Golden Eagle (1500m) at Rosehill Gardens on November 2 which is restricted to four-year-olds.

“I’m yet to discover that (what his best distance is),’’ he said.

“But he could well back up in the Hill Stakes next week, I haven’t it ruled out, or we could come back here for the King Charles.

“There’s a $1m bonus for any horse that wins the Epsom-King Charles double. There’s a lot of options so let’s just sit on it for now and enjoy that.”

Ceolwulf had been runner-up in the Rosehill Guineas and ATC Australian Derby behind the ill-fated Riff Rocket during autumn but showed his versatility to breakthrough at Group 1 level over 1600m.

Pride said he thought “long and hard” about whether to run Ceolwulf in the Epsom or The Metropolitan (2400m).

“After watching The Metropolitan, I started to think I should have run him in that race – but that’s how versatile this horse is,’’ Pride said.

“He’s so exciting because of that versatility and he’s a gelding so hopefully he can keep racing for a few seasons.’’

Chad Schofield celebrates with his wife after riding Ceolwulf to victory in the Group 1 Epsom Handicap. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

• Lady Shenandoah superb in Flight Stakes romp

Schofield’s win on Ceolwulf was his first at Group 1 level since Sonntag in the Queensland Derby 10 years ago.

“I’ve only been back in Australia for two full seasons, so although that was my last Australian Group 1, I was in Hong Kong for seven years and they’re hard to win over there,’’ Schofield said.

“I still feel like I’m finding my feet here back in Australia, but I’m so thankful to Joe and his stable for giving me the opportunity today. I know this was a very sought-after ride and thanks to the whole team and the owners.”

Schofield had never ridden Ceolwulf previously but was “very confident” going into the Epsom.

“I realise the Epsom is a really hard race to win, you need everything to go right,’’ he said.

“I didn’t feel everything quite went perfectly, I wasn’t in a great spot, I thought I’d be much closer than where I was and the pace was quite muddling, but one good aspect of that was that I was a bit wide and able to flow.

“But I was really blown away by his turn of foot. I know he had 54kg but he put the race away very quickly. As soon as I clicked him up, I was confident I was the winner. He had a blistering turn of foot.”

Spoils of victory … Chad Schofield salutes after winning the Epsom aboard Ceolwulf. Picture: Jeremy Ng / Getty Images

• Reece Jones claims maiden Group 1 aboard Land Legend in Metropolitan

Tom Kitten was brave finishing a close second, giving trainer James Cummings and the Godolphin stable two near misses at Group 1 level after stablemate Zardozi was beaten in a photo by Land Legend in The Metropolitan.

“We aimed for a bit of cover anywhere and ended up getting that from My Oberon,’’ said Tommy Berry, rider of Tom Kitten.

“He has done a good job for second. Obviously the winner had the drop on us and the last shot – it was an honest effort by my bloke.”

Tim Clark described topweight Royal Patronage’s effort to finish a close third as an “excellent performance”.

“It is a hard thing to do to face the breeze, he was very courageous,” Clark said.

Trainer Chris Waller had a great day with three Group 1 wins from Lady Shenandoah (Flight Stakes), Land Legend (The Metropolitan) and Via Sistina (Turnbull Stakes) and went close to a clean sweep with Kovalica finishing a slightly unlucky fourth.

“Kovalica is going super,’’ jockey James McDonald said.

“He just got held up a fraction at the top of the run then burst through and ran well.”

Originally published as Ceolwulf wins the 2024 Group 1 Epsom Handicap at Randwick