Written by Paul Vettise
Shea Eden stretched the budget to secure Ocular (Written Tycoon) and the lightly tried sprinter has made good progress toward repaying the Cranbourne trainer’s investment.
Eden went to $250,000 to claim Ocular out of Supreme Thoroughbreds’ draft at the Inglis Premier Yearling Sale and victory in Saturday’s Listed Hilton Nicholas at Flemington will see the 4-year-old’s earnings soar past his purchase price.
It will represent the toughest test of the short-course performer’s career, but with four wins to his credit and placings in both of his lead-up outings he is in the right form to rise to the challenge.
Ocular as a yearling
“We stuck our necks out and fortunately I’ve ended up with a fair chunk of him,” Eden said. “He’s a good horse to have a chunk of and we’re all really hopeful this campaign that he can progress to the level we hope he’s capable of.
“With 54kg and in form, I think he’ll give the race on Saturday a shake, for sure.”
“With 54kg and in form, I think he’ll (Ocular) give the race on Saturday a shake, for sure.” – Shea Eden
Ocular returned from a break to finish runner-up on his home track two starts back carrying 63kg and then led all the way to go on better at Warrnambool under 59kg.
“We’ve been very patient with him, he showed his immaturity early on so we gave him a bit of time. We have purposefully targeted this time of the year for the give in the tracks, he appreciates that,” Eden said.
“It’s been a bit of a struggle and we probably cost ourselves by being so patient. He ran second at Cranbourne and needed to win to get in and have a crack at the Listed Wangoom H.,” Eden said.
Shea Eden
“Initially, the idea was to get him to Queensland for the carnival, but with his rating where it is it wasn’t worth taking the punt and heading up there.
“We’ll stick around here and give him a crack at some nice races, the Winter Sprint Series is an opportunity to pick up some good prizemoney.”
Ocular is a son of the 2-year-old winner Dowager Princess (NZ) (Savabeel) who boasts a 100 per cent record at stud with all three of her foals to race successful.
The dam is a sister to the multiple black-type winner Dowager Queen (NZ) and she’s also a three-time performer at Group 1 level and the family of the G1 Patinack Classic winner Swick (NZ) (O’Reilly {NZ}).
