Improvement to come from Ceolwulf

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Star Cambridge Stud graduate Ceolwulf was made to work overtime to justify his long odds-on favouritism in the G3 Neville Sellwood Stakes at Rosehill.

The Joseph Pride-trained son of Tavistock had to dig deep under pressure to win the 2000 metre feature by the barest of margins.

However, Pride was forgiving of his stable star and was confident there was further improvement to come.

“He presented like he was going to win by a couple of lengths, but he didn’t do that and it was only his second go on a heavy track and while he went really well (second) in the ATC Derby, maybe he prefers something a bit firmer,” he said.

“He had a big weight (59.5kg) on testing ground and was jumping up 500 metres. His second run at 2000 metres will be better and it will have to be.”

Ceolwulf claimed the G1 Epsom Handicap and G1 King Charkes III Stakes during a stellar spring campaign and next has the G1 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in his sights and a clash with glamour mare Via Sistina.

“I wanted a good hit-out for him and he certainly got that, he was 522kg on Monday and to put that in perspective, he was in the low 480s when he won the King Charles.

“I’d like to see him drop another five or 10kgs and we’ll give him a couple of nice gallops between now and the Queen Elizabeth.”

Ceolwulf raced in fifth spot away from the rail and finished determinedly in the straight to get his nose down at the right time for regular rider Chad Schofield.

“He was good, he was giving some decent horses weight. I let him stride forward and he relaxed and got out nice and early,” he said. “He’s definitely more dynamic on top of the ground.”

Ceolwulf was sold on our behalf by Sam and Hana Beatson’s Riversley Park at New Zealand Bloodstock’s Ready to Run Sale where he was secured by Pride for $170,000.

He is a son of the unraced Shamardal mare Las Brisas, whose Almanzor filly now named Lupa Capitolina sold to agent John Foote for A$240,000 at this year’s Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale.

The mare produced a colt by Sword Of State last season and is in foal to our highly-credentialled newcomer Chaldean.

Las Brisas’ half-sister Nantyglo was a Listed winner and from the family of four-time Hong Kong top-flight winner Wellington, G1 Irish Oaks heroine Moonstone and the G1 Prix Saint-Alary winner Cerulean Sky.

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