By Alan Carasso
Eden Roc (Aus) (Star Witness {Aus}), a close relative to MGSW & G1SP Star Turn (Aus), figures a warm favorite to get his career off on a winning note in Saturday's opening Australian Fire Hose Plate (1000m) at Royal Randwick (post time 8:40 p.m. ET Friday evening).
Bred by and consigned to the 2016 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale by Widden Stud, the Aug. 30 foal fetched a final bid of A$750,000 from Alan Bell, also the owner of Star Turn, who turned the colt over to trainers Michael, John and Wayne Hawkes. Eden Roc carried Tommy Berry to barrier trial victories at Rosehill in September and another in late December, making virtually all the running in the latter before quickening impressively clear. In his most recent trial at Warwick Farm, he settled much further off the pace and finished full of run to cross the line in a close third. The winner of that heat, Godolphin's Marsupial (Aus) (Street Cry {Ire}), was a good-looking 2 1/4-length winner of his career debut over 1200m at Canterbury as the $1.80 (4-5) favorite Friday afternoon.
“He's a lovely horse,” Wayne Hawkes told Racing.com earlier this week. “He's done everything right. He'll be in the finish somewhere about and we are very happy and privileged to be training him.”
Eden Roc is a son of the winning mare Hilton Head (Aus) (Fastnet Rock {Aus}), a daughter of GSW Golden Delicious (Aus) (Made of Gold), making her a half-sister to Star Turn, a latest third to Flying Artie (Aus) (Artie Schiller) in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. up the Flemington straight Oct. 29.
Berry has the call aboard Eden Roc, who will leave from gate two in a scratched-down field of nine.
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