Schofield tips spring revival for stronger, more relaxed Ceolwulf
By Craig Kerry
Jockey Chad Schofield says Ceolwulf has returned stronger and more mature as he tries to repeat his spring heroics after a luckless autumn campaign.
The Joe Pride-trained five-year-old, which rose from a first-up sixth in the Spring Preview Handicap to the Epsom Handicap-King Charles III Stakes group 1 double last year, resumes in the Winx Stakes (1400m) on Saturday at Randwick.
Chad Schofield celebrates winning the King Charles III Stakes at Randwick on Ceolwulf.Credit: Getty Images
The stunning wins marked Ceolwulf as a potential superstar of the future, but his autumn preparation fell short of expectations. A close third in the group 1 George Ryder Stakes and a narrow victory in the group 2 Neville Sellwood Stakes were highlights of a disjointed campaign that included a minor injury setback.
Schofield, who rode Ceolwulf to his group 1 double, has partnered the Tavistock gelding in two trials and believes he has come back better. Ceolwulf closed off well behind stablemate Private Eye in the most recent hit-out.
“He definitely feels stronger, and I’m loving how he’s starting to harness that nervous energy he used to have, and he’s relaxing really well,” Schofield said after walking away uninjured from a fall at Warwick Farm on Wednesday.
“I couldn’t be more thrilled. He felt terrific in his two trials. His first one was a very, very quiet one, but the second one we did a bit more with him and he trialled well.
“He’s turning into a lovely, casual horse. In the mornings and the trials he only really does what he has to.
“I thought it was a nice bit of work from him the other day and his fitness levels seemed where they needed to be.
“He’s not a horse that flies fresh. He always gets better as he gets a few runs under his belt and deeper into his preparation, but he obviously handles heavy tracks and I can’t wait to have him back.”
As for the autumn, Schofield felt Ceolwulf raced better than his form reads.
“If you go back and look at him and his sectionals, and how he raced comparatively to the other good horses, he was really good,” he said.
“He just only won the one race, and I think that was just through bad luck really. But we know how good he is this time of year, and let’s hope he can show it again.”
Ceolwulf, which won the Neville Sellwood and was second in the ATC Derby on heavy ground, is an $11 Sportsbet chance in the Winx Stakes, the first group 1 of the season. Pride said a heavy track on Saturday would not deter him from beginning Ceolwulf’s preparation. The Chelmsford Stakes would likely be his second assignment.
“He’s going super, I’m really happy with him,” Pride said.
“It will be interesting to see what field lines up there on Saturday. He will definitely be there, all being well. He will race with good improvement to come, but he will start off well.
“He’s in for a really good prep, and I don’t mind kicking him off on a heavy [track].
“The King Charles is a good chance of being the main goal, but we’ll see how he goes in these first few runs.”
Pride and Schofield also combine for the first time with proven heavy-track performer Kerguelen ($5) in the fourth race. The Godolphin-owned son of Lonhro, on debut for Pride, has three wins and two seconds in five runs on heavy going.
“I don’t know much about the horse other than his replays and his trials, but he looks to be going really well,” Schofield said.
“I loved his tick-over trial the other day at Canterbury. He handles the heavy well. We’ve drawn wide, but that might be the place to be at that stage.”
Pride expects Kerguelen to press forward and be out of trouble.
“He’s a lovely horse. I trialled him on Monday, just an easy trial, and he’s spot on for Saturday,” he said.