Tilly Dunnage impressive

Ascot Park trainer Wayne Adams was at a loss to explain Tilly Dunnage’s (Fear The Dragon) failure on debut but that was forgotten today when the harness racing filly was too good for a field of eight on her home track.

“It might have been raceday jitters,” Adams said.

Driver Rory McIIwrick took the three year old straight to the top from her seven draw and there was no looking back.

After the race Adams said it wasn’t the plan to go to the front today.

“Although he (Rory) did tell me the last time we were at the workouts that she could have led. I thought we’d go out, get settled and then go around them. She must have been going good enough. He’s out there driving her.”

The winning margin was three and three quarter lengths.

“She’s always shown something and it’s taken a little bit of time to get her there. I think she’s got another win or two in her.”

TILLY DUNNAGE REPLAY

Tilly Dunnage is out of the Live Or Die mare Zeonly Survivor and is named after Myrtle (“Tilly”) Dunnage, a female protagonist in Rosalie Ham’s 2000 romance drama novel The Dressmaker.

Zeonly Survivor has had some success at stud with her best foal being Back On Board which won 22 races. Brian Wastney and Grant Stalker have bred a number of other winners from the mare, all of whom have been trained by Adams.

Stalker part owns Tilly Dunnage.

For complete race results, click here.

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink