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FIFA World Cup 2026 scheduleCox Plate or King Charles? Pride provides an update on Ceolwulf
Connor Scanlon • June 8th, 2026 11:00 am
Ceolwulf concluded his 2025/2026 campaign back in February, after running in the Group 1 Verry Elleegant Stakes, giving the gelding a well-needed rest after competing in back-to-back spring and autumn carnivals.
This pressure of continually racing caused wear and tear on the son of Tavistock’s hooves, resulting in declining results.
Now, after a few months of recovery for the Joe Pride-trained brown, the trainer has provided an update on how Ceolwulf is travelling ahead of the Spring Racing Carnival.
“(He’s going) super; he's really appreciated those three months off,” Pride revealed.
“Just watching him trot out and walk out, he’s just so much more fluent. When you've got issues with horses' feet, you sometimes forget how well they can trot out when they're feeling well.
“I think he wasn't wanting to trot out last preparation and warm up. I was maybe thinking he's getting a bit older, but I can see now with the rest that he's had, how comfortable he is in his action now.
“If your feet are good, you're going to perform better, and they are as good as they can be now. I'm really happy with them.”
Regarding whether the main aim for the gelding would be the Group 1 King Charles (1600m) or Group 1 Cox Plate (2040m), Pride admitted that Ceolwulf will most likely run in the King Charles again – a race which the brown has won in both 2024 and 2025.
“I've got to say the King Charles at this point, but I wish I could run them both, I really do,” Pride revealed.
“He may run them both, but I don't think the backup's really going to suit him.
“It would seem to me if there's an opportunity to run him on, particularly a bit of a wet track, on King Charles Day, why wouldn't I be in the race?
“He's won (the King Charles) twice. He's won four Group 1s at a mile, three at Randwick. It just makes a lot of sense to have him there.
“It was great to have him down at Flemington last preparation; it gave him a bit of confidence. With the Cox Plate being there this year, that may be an option for us, but I'm going to be guided by how the preparation's going and where some of the opposition are going.
“I'm open-minded about it, but I would say more than likely the King Charles.”
Asked about whether the son of Tavistock’s best distance is 2000m or over the mile, the trainer explained that Ceolwulf’s best version of himself is across 1600m.
“I couldn’t tell you 2000m. He has won over 2000m (twice), but I think that so far the best version of him has been at one mile. All his wins are a mile or around a mile,” explained Pride.
“I mean, he's placed in a Rosehill Guineas (2000m), and he's run good races at 2000m, but he's yet to perform at the level he has over the mile.”
Ceolwulf is currently $9 with Sportsbet to win the King Charles on October 17 with Autumn Glow being the $1.80 favourite, while the gelding is a $26 outsider to win the Cox Plate on October 24.
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