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By Ray Hickson

If classy miler Ceolwulf has another string to his bow aside from his booming finish then trainer Joe Pride wants him to show it at Randwick on Saturday.

Joe Pride (Pic: Steve Hart)

Pride has signalled he’d like to have the five-year-old, who was last week crowned NSW Miler Of The Year, in a more forward position in the Group 2 $300,000 Asahi Super Dry Chelmsford Stakes (1600m) than we saw first-up.

Ceolwulf has drawn barrier two in the Chelmsford and with the make up of the race as it is Pride said he’ll be taking advantage of it.

“It’s the perfect opportunity to find out if he can be ridden handy and still have the same finish,’’ Pride said.

“You don’t experiment in a King Charles III but a Chelmsford is a perfect time and place for it.

“He’s such a good horse and I know he’s partially proven that but he’s got a little way to go yet. I get that, the bar is set so much higher for these horses and they need to keep performing.

“He’s still got a bit of race craft to develop this horse and he’s lost a couple of races because of his lack of race craft.”

There was plenty said and written about Ceolwulf’s return in the Winx Stakes (1400m) where he was taken to the centre of the track coming to the turn instead of following Via Sistina through.

His last 600m of 34.87 (Punter’s Intelligence) was third fastest in the race, behind the winner and runner-up Aeliana, and he covered more ground as he ran into fourth place.

Pride publicly defended jockey Chad Schofield for his decision and is sticking by it, and would love to see him win on the gelding on Saturday.

“The pressure that jockeys would be worried about wouldn’t be what’s written on twitter, it’s from connections of horses they ride. And they know that,’’ he said.

“We’ve found with this horse he doesn’t like being cluttered up, he needs a bit of galloping room and I think that’s part of what Chad had in his mind.

“On a heavy track do you want to be tracking up behind horses and getting mud kicked in your face or getting clear galloping room.

“Unfortunately for him it doesn’t help when the eventual first and second horses end up scooting up along the inside. I just wanted to see the horse come back and run well, he did that.”

Ceolwulf, $2.00 with TAB on Wednesday, didn’t jump the best in the Winx but Pride said he has done that previously first-up and hopes he’s shaken it off for an important race.

“He’s only done it a couple of times in his life, he’s fidgety in the gates but he finds the way to jump,’’ he said.

There’s a good chance Ceolwulf and stablemate Private Eye could clash in the 7 Stakes later this month with Pride keen to head to the mile again after the gelding’s big first-up win in the PB Lawrence Stakes.

Private Eye is arguably one of the best weighted horses at the meeting with 57.5kg in the Group 2 $300,000 Drinkwise Tramway Stakes (1400m).

“He’s got a massive class edge on these horses, he’s beautifully rated,’’ he said.

“I love the way he’s placed in that race. Linebacker should be getting 4.5kg off him and he’s got to give us half a kilo.”

The eight-year-old gelding, a two-time TAB Everest placegetter, is telling Pride that he’s comfortable racing beyond the sprint trips at the moment and while drawn out that’s not something concerning the trainer.

“He’s been going forward in all his races lately so it’s not a big deal for him,’’ he said.

Ceolwulf runs fourth at Randwick on August 23

“He’s going so well over this 1400m trip at the moment, it seems to be where we are seeing the best version of him at the moment.”

Joe Pride on In Flight (race 8): “I’m hoping the track stays a little bit affected for her. She’s a great little mare and she’s in top order. We’re in bonus territory with her for this preparation. She’s raced through the winter, she’s had a short let up and come back. Sometimes it can be an advantage and sometimes you’re taking on horses that have fresh legs and they are just too good.”

On Dragonstone (race 8): “A wide draw doesn’t bother him, he’ll go back from there. He’s only had one trial so he’ll be better with the run under his belt.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting