Trainer Shea Eden revealed Ocean Embers was a chance to miss the Hobart contest
after suffering a muscle pull a few weeks ago but the stable managed to help
the smart sprinter overcome the trouble to allow her to travel to Tasmania."She just had a slight hammy strain so it was something we had to work on," Eden said. "We worked really hard on her to have her in top order to get here today.
"Hamstrings are always a concern but with the team behind us, we were confident we could get her right."
Ridden by Jason Benbow, Ocean Embers came with a well timed run to win the 1200 metre sprint by half a length.
Eden said he was reluctant to spell Ocean Embers, the winner of the Group III Cockram Stakes in the spring, because of her large appetite so he would keep her in work chasing stakes targets in a number of states.
Ocean Embers had her previous run in Queensland on New Year's Eve before heading to Tasmania but the four-year-old will have her next start in Sydney in a month ahead of a trip to Adelaide for the Group I Sangster Stakes (1200m) in May.
"She's a mare that does really well in the paddock and she just suits how we train," Eden said.
"I've just got slight concerns that if I tip her out, she'll do too well and it would be a bit harder to get her back and with the issues that she has had, I don't want to overtax her.
"I've got no doubt she can measure up to a race like the Sangster."
One of 10 stakes-winners by ill-fated Beneteau, who died after just two seasons at Arrowfield Stud, Ocean Embers has five wins from 11 starts with prizemoney topping $300,000.
A $23,000 Magic Millions Adelaide purchase for her trainer from the draft of Cornerstone Stud, Ocean Embers was bred by Arrowfield in partnership and is a half-sister to Japanese stakes-winner Fireflaught from Burningwood (USA)
Burningwood produced a filly last year by Smart Missile and was covered by young Redoute's Choice stallion Panzer Division, so will produce a three-quarter sibling to Ocean Embers this year.
