As a New Zealand-bred daughter of Savabeel out of a Pins mare, Tilianam (NZ) arrived at Tulloch Lodge with little expectation that she would make the grade at two.
But despite her stout pedigree, the filly has shown natural precocity to back up a debut win at Canberra with victory in Saturday’s Listed Lonhro Plate (1000m) at Randwick.
Adrian Bott, who trains in partnership with Gai Waterhouse, said they took the filly on a road trip for her first start to help season her and while she had pleased them since, they were unsure if she might have been looking for further than the 1000m journey.
“I guess the concern here today was the 1000m but it was her home track and we thought a strongly run 1000 might suit,” Bott said.
“We’ve got a few decisions to make. I don’t think she’s paid up for the Slipper.
“Being a filly by Savabeel out of New Zealand, we weren’t necessarily expecting her to come up this early.”
Tim Clark gave Tilianam a beautiful run on the back of the speed before launching on the leaders and holding off the late charging Jamaea (Headwater) by a short neck.
If connections of Tilianam decide to follow a Slipper path they will need to pay a A$150,000 late entry fee for the A$3.5 million March 20 feature.
Waterhouse and Bott went to $270,000 to secure Tilianam as a yearling when offered through Waikato Stud’s 2018 New Zealand Bloodstock draft.
