Promising 3YO could prove a carnival ‘Wulf’
He is yet to finish out of the placings and boasts a decision over a subsequent Group One winner, but the lightly raced still needs to convince his trainer he should remain a colt.
It is one of the main reasons Joe Pride is running the three-year-old in an off-season benchmark race at Randwick on Saturday, keen to see how Ceowulf handles the occasion, along with ensuring his fitness isn’t lagging come the autumn.
“We’re giving him a summer prep because he went ‘shinny’ (shin sore) in the spring and I thought it was going to be a long time going to the autumn without a prep,” Pride said.
“I wanted to test his ability to remain a colt as well, so I’m just giving him this little summer prep.”
Ceowulf showed significant promise at his initial preparation, placing on debut at Canterbury before breaking his maiden in midweek grade at Warwick Farm.
Stepped quickly up to stakes level, he finished runner-up to Encap in the Group 3 Ming Dynasty Quality (1400m) at Rosehill in September and behind him in third was Tom Kitten, who progressed to claim the Group 1 Spring Champion Stakes six weeks later.
Pride is hoping that black-type performance proves a reliable measuring stick as he plots a course towards the Sydney autumn carnival with Ceowulf.
“He ran second in the Ming Dynasty and he split Encap and Tom Kitten, so it was a good effort at his third start in a race,” Pride said.
“I’m kind of thinking to myself that if he goes really well, he could be a Randwick Guineas type of horse.
“That run in the Ming Dynasty tells me he’s not too far off the best of his generation, so why not?
“I don’t think he’ll run a trip, as in 2000-metres plus, but I think he will be a pretty sharp miler.”
Ceowulf has drawn barrier three for Saturday’s TAB Handicap (1300m) and will be partnered by Tyler Schiller, the young hoop taking his season tally of city wins to 36 with a Warwick Farm double on Wednesday, three behind premiership pacesetter Nash Rawiller who isn’t riding at Randwick.
Pride confirmed Ceowulf will only have one or two runs over the summer before being freshened for his autumn tilt.
More Racing News
War Machine to target the 2026 Australia Stakes
Top-class sprinter War Machine will resume in the Group 2 Australia Stakes (1200m) at Pakenham on Friday night as connections eye a strong autumn campaign. The race, traditionally held at Moonee Valley, has been moved due to redevelopment works and shapes as an ideal launchpad for the Lindsay Park galloper. War Machine...
Antino to target 2026 Queen Elizabeth Stakes in the Autumn
A strong trial session at Deagon on Tuesday will be highlighted by the return of Antino as Tony Gollan begins plotting another autumn campaign for the talented gelding. Antino has not raced since his disappointing effort in the Group 1 Cox Plate, where he finished last after failing to fire on...
2026 Golden Slipper Stakes favourite Incognito nearing return to the races
The absence of Incognito from the Magic Millions 2YO Classic did little to dent his standing in Golden Slipper markets, with the colt edging closer to a raceday return. Michael Freedman elected to sidestep the Gold Coast feature with the $1 million purchase, instead opting for a controlled trial as the...
Torque To Be Sure breaks maiden in 2026 Magic Millions Guineas, survives protest
Torque To Be Sure finally lived up to his promise with a breakthrough victory in the $3 million Magic Millions 3yo Guineas, though his success came with a nervous wait in the stewards’ room. The Matthew Dunn-trained gelding drifted under pressure in the closing stages, bumping race favourite Ninja as the...
Mile no issue for Merrigold in 2026 Vobis Gold Distaff
Trainer John Sadler admitted a touch of stubbornness delayed Merrigold’s step up to 1600 metres, but the mare made him look wise with a dominant Flemington victory. The five-year-old was having her first start beyond 1400 metres and handled the rise in distance with ease when taking out the Vobis Gold...
Future History too strong in the 2026 January Cup
Future History showed his class and toughness when landing the $200,000 Listed January Cup at Rosehill, giving Ciaron Maher another feature race success. The eight-year-old almost didn’t take his place in the race after heavy rain downgraded the track, but connections elected to press on despite concerns about the conditions. Ridden positively...
Unit Five powers home in the 2026 Magic Millions Classic
Unit Five announced himself as a rising star with a powerful victory in the $3 million Magic Millions 2YO Classic, overcoming far more seasoned rivals despite limited race experience. The Ciaron Maher-trained colt, ridden confidently by Thomas Stockdale, held off Tornado Valley by a length, with By Choice finishing just behind...
Big Sky surges into 2026 Blue Diamond Stakes calculations
Big Sky’s dominant debut at Flemington has propelled him straight into calculations for the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes (1200m), giving Mick Price and Michael Kent Jnr the top two runners in early betting. The Bivouac colt overcame a wide draw in the TAB We’re On (1000m), travelling strongly under Jordan...
Golden Slipper Stakes 2026 plans for Godolphin’s Outspan
The Godolphin-trained Outspan has thrust himself into Golden Slipper calculations after a commanding win at Rosehill on Saturday. After settling just behind the speed in the 1100m contest, the Michael Freedman-trained colt finished strongly to defeat Long Throw ($15) by 1-1/2 lengths, with Miss Chanel ($4.60) another half-length back. The performance marked...
Tony Gollan’s two-year-old Itching To Go in 2026 Magic Millions Classic
Tony Gollan is leaning on a proven strategy as Itchintogo lines up on a seven-day backup in the Magic Millions 2yo Classic (1200m) this Saturday. The approach has delivered strong results historically, with six winners of the $3 million race following the same path over the past 15 years. Purchased for $60,000...