There is never a soft Group 1 option during Melbourne Cup week, but Sydney trainer Joe Pride is hoping he has picked that softer option on the final day of the carnival at Flemington.
Pride had the option of remaining at 1600m with Ceolwulf in the Champions Mile or stepping up to the 2000m of the Champions Stakes.
Ceolwulf will contest the former on Saturday where he will be pitted against the likes of Mr Brightside, Pericles, Pride Of Jenni and Treasurethe Moment and in the process bypass an assignment against Via Sistina in the Champions Stakes.
Pride pointed out Ceolwulf was a three-time Group 1 winner over 1600m, including most recently in the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick on October 18.
That victory was Ceolwulf’s second in the King Charles III and his first success since winning the Neville Sellwood Stakes (2000m) at Rosehill on April 1.
Pride is confident that Ceolwulf can go on from that victory and has booked regular jockey Chad Schofield to again ride the gelding.
“He is always confident,” Pride said.
“Horses that need confidence are the ones that are coming back from injury or that have been getting beaten up a lot.
“He’s quite an arrogant horse. There was no crisis of confidence there.”
Pride will break new ground with Ceolwulf on Saturday with the gelding having his first start left-handed after 24 starts, all on Sydney metropolitan tracks.
“I can’t believe I haven’t travelled him,” Pride said.
“He’s had twenty-odd starts, and he has never been away.
“He’s going to have his first trip away from home which will be good seasoning and experience for him and I’m looking forward to it.
“Hopefully we get a bit of wet ground for him as well, which will be perfect.”
The Melbourne Bureau of Meteorology is predicting between 10 and 30mm of rain at Flemington on Saturday after anywhere up to 6mm on Friday night.
In an open betting race, Mr Brightside heads the market at $4 ahead of Pride Of Jenni at $4.20 and Ceolwulf on the next line at $6.
