Clapton was having his first start and had not been to trials.
Hillis bought him for $22,000 at the New Zealand Bloodstock carnival sale at Karaka in March.
She races the gelded son of Ekraar and Lady Tess with her partner, Barry Cottle.
"I was on the lookout for an Ekraar. I liked the way he read [in the catalogue]," Hillis said.
Clapton is from the second New Zealand crop of Ekraar, who has left Gigino, a winner at Avondale in February at his first start.
Ekraar stands at the Stoney Bridge stud at Papakura.
Ekraar has left 10 2yr-old winners in Italy where he began stud duty in 2004.
He has also had a winner in Germany.
Ekraar was a group one winner over 2400m in Italy as a 6yr-old.
He won the group three Goodwood Vintage Stakes as a 2yr-old in England, where he gained seven of his eight wins.
The son of Red Ransom and Sacahuista also raced in France, Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates.
Lady Tess included wins at Pukekohe and Ellerslie as a 2yr-old among her four wins.
Clapton is her fourth foal.
She is by Slavic from Blue Tess, who won six races in the United States.
Lady Tess is a sister to Bless, winner of the listed Northland Breeders' Stakes for 2yr-olds at Ruakaka.
Clapton is eligible for the $1 million race for 2yr-olds at Ellerslie on January 25 and the the Carnival Sale Bonus race there in March.
The first carnival sale horse past the post in the latter race will collect $100,000 for his owners.
Fully Fledged collected the bonus this year when he finished second to Sanjura.
Never Plead Guilty, a last-start winner at the New Zealand Cup meeting, has been set for the $70,000 Summer Cup, a rating 94 2500m race at Trentham on January 24.
"I will probably give him a race over 1200m or 1400m over the holidays and go to Awapuni on January 10 for a rating 90 2300m," Paul Richards, his Wingatui trainer, said.
"We have nominated him for the Wellington Cup in case he becomes ineligible for the Summer Cup."
The Sakti-Lady Grange gelding won a $40,000 rating 90 2500m race at Riccarton on November 15, his fourth win in seven starts this season.
He has been placed in the other three.
Richards did not take Shaky Bridge to Riccarton yesterday after assessing the track which was cutting out.
Shaky Bridge was a last-start winner at Cromwell.
The Richards-trained jumpers Jamies's Chance and Last Frisco returned to work last week.
They will have a month at the beach before rejoining the stable.
Jamie's Chance, winner of the 2007 Great Western and Otago Steeplechases, has not raced since he finished second to Personal Success in the Homeby Steeplechase at Riccarton in June that year.
He was put aside with a fractured cannon bone.
• Last Frisco, winner of the Great Western this year, pulled up sore in a leg after finishing third to Honour Victory and Repete in the Homeby this year.
• Aoife, who cleared maiden ranks at Riccarton yesterday, is by My Halo from La Chatelaine, the winner of six races.
Aoife is trained by Steve Hewitt, who prepared La Chatelaine.
Michael Coleman was suspended for four riding days, from Monday until the following Saturday inclusive, for careless riding at Ellerslie yesterday.
He admitted shifting out sharply at the 250m on Scarlet Vanhara,
