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By Ray Hickson

There’s no getting around it, Ceolwulf let trainer Joe Pride down in a race he was expected to win second-up but he says the chance for redemption will be his in Saturday’s $1m 7 Stakes (1600m) at Royal Randwick.

Ceolwulf has finished fourth in both starts this spring and Pride said the time is now for the five-year-old to show he’s on course to defend his King Charles III title in a month.

After a much talked about fast-finishing fourth when resuming in the Winx, Ceolwulf started an odds-on favourite in the Chelmsford Stakes two weeks ago and while there were some excuses in the run the trainer felt he should have done more.

Punter's Intelligence data showed Ceolwulf did clock the fastest last 600m of the Chelmsford in 33.64 and the equal fastest last 200m of 11.62.

“I thought he was disappointing the other day,’’ Pride said.

“He deserves to have that expectation around him because he’s a dual Group 1 winner.

“I probably got him back to the races too soon after a tough first-up run but he pulled up well and he’ll bounce back on Saturday.

Ceolwulf runs fourth at Randwick on September 6

“It will tell us a lot about the preparation, if he’s going to be winning a King Charles he’s got to be in the finish.”

The gelding did receive top weight of 58kg, alongside stablemate Private Eye and two others, in the Epsom Handicap if Pride chooses to pivot to defend his title.

His intention in the Chelmsford was to make some use of an inside barrier and position Ceolwulf, $5 with TAB on Wednesday, closer to the speed but those plans went awry when he was shuffled back due to some manoeuvring ahead of him midrace.

Pride said he didn’t get the chance to learn anything about the horse’s versatility in that race and is open to trying again in the 7 Stakes.

“Maybe that opportunity will bob up on Saturday. I’d love some pace, I know Private Eye led the other day but that’s not normally his role,’’ he said.

“If you can’t have a race with pace at least you could have a smallish field where maybe he doesn’t get too far off them.

“There’s been a lot said about Chad’s rides on him but he hasn’t jumped clean the last couple and that doesn’t give you the opportunity to have a horse in a position. I certainly don’t think that’s Chad’s fault.”

Connections of Private Eye have enjoyed a renaissance of sorts with the eight-year-old chasing his 14th career win at his first attempt over the 1600m since last spring.

The Epsom winner of 2021 had 61kg and a wide gate when he ran fourth in The Ingham last year, the last time he tackled the Randwick mile, and Pride was rapt with his last start second in the Tramway where he was ambushed by Pericles.

“He’s racing in great heart, he’s big and strong and doing everything I want to see him do,’’ Pride said.

“The last time he was in a mile race was The Ingham but handicap as opposed to weight-for-age could be quite different for him.”

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