Saturday is shaping as a great day for Woodside Park’s champion sire Written Tycoon with classy mare Teleplay taking out the Group III MRC Kevin Heffernan Stakes (1300m) at Sandown, while talented two year-old filly Tilia Rose made a winning debut at Newcastle in the $125,000 Max Lees Classic (900m).
A last start winner of the Group III VRC Jim Beam Stakes at Flemington, the Mick Price and Mick Kent Jr trained mare kept up the good work when diving through along the inside to snatch a narrow victory over quality sprinters Home of the Brave and Hey Doc.
An $85,000 Inglis Premier purchase from the Baystone Farm draft for Dynamic Syndications/ Dean Watt Bloodstock, Teleplay has won five of 14 starts earning in excess of $400,000 in prizemoney.
A half-sister to stakes-placed Astro Flame, she is the best of three winners from Special Episode, a winning three-quarter sister by Redoute’s Choice to Group I winner First Seal from dual Oaks winner Episode.
Special Episode was bought by Rosemont Stud at the 2017 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for just $60,000 and has foaled this spring producing a filly by Starcraft.
Rosemont sold her two year-old filly by So You Think at Inglis Easter this year for $230,000 to Dean Hawthorne Bloodstock.
While Teleplay is still going great guns at age five, the Peter and Paul Snowden trained Tilia Rose is just starting her career and looks to have a bright future judging by this trouble-free length win in the 900 metre scamper for Tommy Berry.
“She’s just a push button bonny little filly,” said co-trainer Paul Snowden.
“You look at her and you know she’s going to improve again from today.
“Jump, travel, quicken, she’s a delight to train.
“I think she will be better suited over a bit more ground too. I don’t think she’s just a 1000m whippet.
“Her racing style is going to take her a long way. Great attitude, just what you want from a young horse.
“She’ll learn a lot from today, we’ll get her home and go from there.”
Tilia Rose is a homebred for Belinda Bateman and is the first and only foal from Redoute’s Choice mare Prevail, who died in 2018.
A $500,000 Magic Millions purchase for James Harron Bloodstock on behalf of the Batemans, Prevail had only two starts, but was fourth in the Group III ATC Gimcrack Stakes and does have a lot of juvenile stakes-winners in her family. She is a three-quarter to stakes-winner Weatherly with other family members including Hips Don’t Lie, Ennis Hill and Lake Geneva.
Tilia Rose was not the only two year-old winner for Written Tycoon on Saturday as he also sired the Robert Heathcote trained filly Dusty Tycoon to win on debut at the Sunshine Coast.
Written Tycoon is Victoria’s most expensive sire standing at Woodside Park Stud at a fee of $110,000. Interestinlgy all three of his winners mentioned in this story are from daughters of Redoute's Choice.
