Shea Eden hopeful of first stakes win

An in-form mare who has come back from throat surgery is favourite to give trainer Shea Eden the biggest win of his career in the Group Three Cockram Stakes.

Ocean Embers heads to Caulfield on Saturday after two fast-finishing Melbourne wins either side of a Listed placing in Adelaide.

“It’s great. It’s just what the stable needs,” Eden said.

“We’ve put a lot of hard work and a lot of time into trying to get these sorts of horses, and to get a chance in a Group Three with a horse like her is obviously very exciting.

“She’s an exciting mare going forward.

“I’ve had chances before (in stakes races). Horses like Apollo’s Choice ran third in a Sandown Guineas. Zellindi got nosed out over in Adelaide in a Listed race as well.

“To win one would be massive and to do it with a cheap filly that I bought myself and brought home and syndicated, it would be really fitting.”

Eden said along with the throat surgery at the end of last spring, Ocean Embers had also previously undergone joint surgery.

“She’s got the throat and she’s had joint surgery as well…so you manage them, take one run at a time and hopefully she’s still sound after each run,” he said.

Ocean Embers ran home strongly to win over 1100m in a mares’ handicap on August 13 at Caulfield and is at $5 for the Cockram Stakes (1200m) despite the outside barrier.

“I’m not too worried about it. She’s drawn a wide gate in her last couple of runs there, admittedly in smaller fields,” Eden said.

“I’d rather 16 than barrier one or two.

“She’s fit, well and gets her chance.”

Eden says Ocean Embers is still untapped and getting better with every run which gives him confidence going into Saturday.

“She’s got three runs under her belt so she’s pretty fit and obviously she likes Caulfield,” he said.