When Thompson Creek Thoroughbreds secured Running On Time (NZ) (Time Test) in Australia as a yearling two years ago, it did so dreaming that she might emulate one of the Group One winners on her pedigree page.
The Ciaron Maher and David Eustace-trained filly will get the chance to do that in Adelaide this Saturday, when she runs in the A$500,000 Australasian Oaks at Morphettville.
Twelve years ago, that 2000-metre Group One was won by Lights Of Heaven (NZ) (Zabeel), who is out of a half-sister to Running On Time’s dam Luscious Legs (NZ) (Pins).
Fellow Group One winners Alamosa and Dal Cielo are also part of the family, but Thompson Creek likes to target potential staying fillies, which is precisely what Lights Of Heaven was.
In addition to the Oaks, which was her fourth win from as many starts, the daughter of Zabeel placed in a Caulfield Cup (2400m), Doomben Cup (2000m) and Caulfield Stakes (2000m) at Group One level and counted a Brisbane Cup (2400m) among four Group Two wins.
“Like everyone, we’re trying to balance buying really good types with nice pages,” Thompson Creek’s Wes Ballantine said.
“Relative to Time Test’s progeny that year, we probably had to pay a little bit of overs to get this filly, but all of Ciaron’s crew and our crew, when we laid eyes on this filly and the way she moved at the sale, we weren’t going home without her.
“It’s delightful when their racing career starts reflecting the confidence you had in them as yearlings.”
Running On Time was bred by Little Avondale Stud, which stands her sire Time Test (Dubawi) and was sold through the Noorilim Park draft at Premier, where she realised A$165,000.
Her dam Luscious Legs is an unraced daughter of Pins and Centaine mare Cent From Heaven (NZ), who had six foals to race for five winners, including Dal Cielo, a son of Per Incanto who won the Gr.1 Diamond Stakes (1200m) in New Zealand.
Group Three winner Eloa (NZ) and Lights Of Heaven’s dam I’m In Heaven (NZ), who are both by Volksraad, are also out of Cent From Heaven, who is a sister to Lodore Mystic (NZ), the dam of here-time Group one winner Alamosa.
It makes for an impressive page, but that was not the main selling point to Ballantine, who runs the Thompson Creek Thoroughbreds operation at Modewarre, near Geelong, with his father Derek, wife Sally, sister Marlo Stroud and her husband Guyun.
“She just was the most beautiful, rhythmic mover,” Ballantine said. “Her walk was really liquid and lovely and attracted everyone who placed eyes on her.
“She definitely looked like a filly that would need time and had a natural, athletic frame that would get over a little bit more distance, so we knew we would have to be patient with her and it was unlikely she would run as a two-year-old but we were happy to give her all the time she needed.”
Running On Time made her debut in a 1200m maiden at Swan Hill on November 20 last year, which she won, but it was after going two for two in a 1500m benchmark 64 at Mornington on December 28 that sights were raised.
“It was after that race Ciaron actually said he thought she would be a Black Type filly over longer distances,” Ballantine said.
“We set a plan at that point. The timing was a bit awkward to tip her out and then come back in, so it was more a case of managing the preparation to space her runs.
“She’s spent a fair bit of time being freshened up at (Maher’s) different facilities and had maintenance gallops in between to keep that fitness level where we want it to be.”
After the Mornington win, Running On Time finished fifth at The Valley and third at Pakenham before running a cheeky race against the boys at $101 in the Gr.2 Alister Clark Stakes (2040m) when fifth, beaten less than two lengths.
Her most recent outing produced a second placing behind stablemate and Australasian Oaks rival Affaire A Suivre (NZ) (Astern) in the Listed Port Adelaide Guineas (1800m) on April 15.
Running On Time has gained the services of four-time Australasian Oaks winner Damien Oliver this weekend with the pair to jump from barrier nine in the field of 16.