Ceolwulf spelled as trainer Joe Pride maps Winx path to 2024 The Championships glory

Rising superstar Ceolwulf will be spelled immediately, with trainer Joe Pride ruling out a start in the $10 million Golden Eagle. But he has lofty ambitions for the Epsom and King Charles winner in the autumn.

Trainer Joe Pride intends for rising superstar Ceolwulf to follow the proven path blazed so successfully by mighty mare Winx when he attempts to complete a royal double in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes next autumn.

Pride announced his long-term objectives for the exciting Ceolwulf after confirming the four-year-old would be immediately spelled, ruling out a start in the $10 million Golden Eagle.

Pride said Ceolwulf had pulled up well after his stunning win in the $5 million Group 1 King Charles Stakes III last Saturday but he was mindful the four-year-old had had some tough racing this spring.

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After beginning the season as a class 1 horse, Ceolwulf has rapidly stormed through the grades, winning the Epsom Handicap-King Charles Group 1 double over the famous Royal Randwick mile course this month to announce his arrival as Australian racing’s “next big thing”.

“Ceolwulf is a gelding so if we look after him, hopefully he can be around another two or three years competing at the top level,’’ Pride said.

“I want to give him a good break now and get him ready for autumn. I’ve looked at the preparations Chris (Waller) gave Winx and Verry Elleegant and the weight-for-age program in autumn is pretty much set in stone.

“There’s the Apollo Stakes, Verry Elleegant Stakes and then it is matter of whether you go for the George Ryder Stakes or the Ranvet Stakes before the Queen Elizabeth Stakes.

“I will keep the option open of taking him to Melbourne for the All-Star Mile but those Sydney weight-for-age races fit in well.’’

Epsom winner Ceolwulf with a huge run wins the G1 King Charles III Stakes in front of a record crowd at Randwick!@PrideRacing | @SchofieldChad@aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/28oRVnurKS

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 19, 2024

• Four international raiders set to target $10 million Group 1 Golden Eagle

Ceolwulf is only eligible for the Golden Eagle this spring but Pride is thinking of the horse’s longevity.

“You can get caught up taking the big money every single time but they can’t all be ‘Grand Finals’,’’ Pride said.

“Ceolwulf would have to come back to 1500m for the Golden Eagle which is not ideal, it would be more like a sprint race around Rosehill, and I don’t want to wait three weeks for Flemington as it eats into his spell.’’

With Ceolwulf ruled out of the Golden Eagle, run at Rosehill on November 2, Japan’s Ascoli Piceno is the $3.50 favourite with France’s Lazzatjoined by Joliestar on the next line of betting at $6.

“The world is his oyster”

It’s been a rollercoaster of a day for @PrideRacing - here’s what he said after Ceolwulf’s win in the G1 King Charles III Stakes - and we also got an update on Think About It.@aus_turf_club | @WorldPoolpic.twitter.com/kTn59ySB43

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 19, 2024

• Ottobre complains about rival’s tactics in King Charles III Stakes

Pride is hoping Ceolwulf could be the “bona fide champion” he has craved to crown his training career.

“I expected Ceolwulf to go well in the King Charles but it blew my mind how well he went – he’s just a really good horse,’’ Pride said.

“My aim now is to give this horse some longevity because he’s so lightly raced and it is exciting to think what he could achieve.

“I’ve had plenty of very, very good horses that have had one big period in their life when they go through the grades like Think About It, Terravista, Rain Affair who won nine in a row, but then some niggling issues start to get to them and they come back to the pack.

“The champions like Winx, Northerly, Tie The Knot, they keep winning year after year and that is what we are after – I’m not saying that yet but Ceolwulf could be that horse.’’