$8 gift? Ceolwulf back to Cup favourite after bleed scare

Smart punters could have banked $8 about Ceolwulf in the Australian Cup on Saturday after he was found to have blood in both nostrils following his return in the Apollo Stakes.

He was back to Australian Cup favourite on Wednesday after being cleared to continue his campaign by stewards.

It was a pre-nominations market, so it was a free hit for punters because if Ceolwulf was found to have bled they would have got their money back.

Ceolwulf’s trainer Joe Pride never believed his star had bled and vets backed up his opinion with Racing NSW confirming their finding on Wednesday.

“An endoscopic examination of Ceolwulf was conducted soon after the race in the presence of Racing NSW Chief Veterinary Officer, Dr Carly Garling,” Racing  NSW stewards said in statement on Wednesday.

“This examination revealed no evidence of blood within the trachea, indicating that the appearance of blood at the nostrils was not due to exercise induced pulmonary haemorrhage (EIPH).

“On Monday (17 February) Ceolwulf was subjected to further diagnostic investigation at a Specialist Veterinary Hospital with the results of those tests having now been provided to Racing NSW Stewards.

“Accordingly, Ceolwulf will not be subject to the embargoes imposed under AR79 which deals with horses that have suffered from EIPH.”

It means Ceolwulf will face Autumn Glow again in the Verry Elleegant Stakes on February 28, before stepping out to 2000m in the Sky High Stakes a fortnight later.

Pride stated he will probably wait for the Australian Cup to put the blinkers back on his star, which he wore in the King Charles Stakes and Champion Mile win in the spring.

The fluctuations in the past couple of days have seen Ceolwulf go from favourite for the Australian Cup to $8 on Saturday night with TAB, which went $6 on Monday and then $5 with the campaign to continue.

Ceolwulf is as short as $3.30 in some places for the Australian Cup, after which, he will chase the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at The Championship in April.

“I don’t think I’ll use [the blinkers] before the Australian Cup,” Pride said. “We know they help.”

“He is a horse that builds his preparations and gets better with every run, so the fourth and fifth runs he will be at his peak.”