2 days Ago By Christian Nicolussi
The three-day delay caused by Sydney’s big wet hasn’t left Joe Pride second-guessing himself about targeting the Doncaster with Ceolwulf. Ceolwulf remains the odds-on favourite for the group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Tuesday’s rescheduled Rosehill meeting, with Pride content to skip the quick back-up into Saturday’s Doncaster in favour of the Queen Elizabeth Stakes a week later. Why Joe Pride is resisting starting Ceolwulf in the Doncaster Credit: Getty Images The four-year-old gelding collected a couple of group 1s over the Randwick mile last spring.
Pride has previously enjoyed success when his horses are on the quick back-up. “I want to run in the Donnie as much as anyone else, I’ve won a couple of them [with Sacred Choice and Vision And Power], it’s an amazing race, but sometimes you have to pick and choose your mark,” Pride said. “What I said to the owners of Ceolwulf at the start of his preparation is I think the Queen Elizabeth is the race we should be aiming for.
It’s over 2000m, and it’s weight for age, as opposed to a 20-horse field in the Doncaster. Could he win the Doncaster? Of course, he could. But you’re banking on a lot of good luck.
“The Queen Elizabeth, the best horse on the day wins. You can’t say that about a Doncaster.” Ceolwulf trainer Joe Pride.
Credit: Getty Images Running Ceolwulf over 2000m and then backing up five days later over the Randwick mile is not the silliest idea, but Pride would rather wait for what looms a thrilling battle with arguably Australia’s best horse, Via Sistina. “With the good horses, you can win with plan B, but you should stick to plan A and give them every chance to get to where you want them to go, and in the best shape they can be,” Pride said..
