Joe Pride maintained his composure despite the setback of Ceolwulf being ruled out of the Verry Elleegant Stakes at Randwick on Saturday.

A proven weight-for-age performer with two Group 1 victories and a runner-up finish in the 2024 Australian Derby, Ceolwulf was all set to clash with Via Sistina and Fangirl over 1600m as part of his Sydney Autumn Carnival campaign.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t take our place,” Pride said.

“When you have a Group 1-ready horse, you want to run them, but it was a tough call on Friday, and by race morning, I wasn’t comfortable with the decision to proceed.”

The issue stemmed from a minor abrasion on his off-hind cannon, sustained during trackwork on Friday.

“It wasn’t severe, but it wasn’t worth the gamble,” he added.

Ceolwulf is now slated to contest the Group 1 Canterbury Stakes (1300m) at Randwick this Saturday, followed by the Group 1 George Ryder Stakes (1500m) at Rosehill on March 22, where he will again face Fangirl.

“Our ultimate goal remains the Queen Elizabeth, but we may now take a detour through the Doncaster Mile to get him properly conditioned for it.

“Originally, the Doncaster was less than a 50% chance, but now it’s looking far more likely.”

Despite trying to downplay his disappointment, Pride admitted that missing the Randwick race was a tough pill to swallow.

“I won’t lie, I’m frustrated,” he said.

“But I’ve had some time to process it now.”