40th Stakes Winner for Stratum

Mark Smith - Saturday May 19

The Darren Weir and Damian Lane show rolled on at Morphettville on Saturday with favourite Land Of Plenty scoring a hard-fought win in the $250,000 Group III R A Lee Stakes (1600m).

The 4yo son of Stratum gave Lane four of the first five winners and Weir three.

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While Land Of Plenty made his run down the outside, Chris Parnham was slicing through the centre on the 3yo gelding Over Exposure (Rothesay) who came up a half-head short with Lite'n In My Veins (Henrythenavigator) one and a quarter lengths back in third.


After going through the stables of several trainers, Land Of Plenty was highly enough thought of last season to contest four Group 1 races in Sydney and Melbourne.

In earning his first stakes win, Land Of Plenty advances his record to 4 wins, 2 seconds and 4 thirds from 20 starts with earnings of $435,230.

Weir said the entire deserved a stakes win.

"Gee that was a good run. They seemed to be going pretty slow to me. He tacked into it well and the second horse was very gallant in defeat," Weir said.

Lane said he had no luck in the run.

"I set him a task in a slow run race. I was back and wide and probably pressed the button a little bit too early. He stargazed a bit when I got there but when you are on quality athletes they get the job done," Lane said.

Bred by Esplin Family, Land Of Plenty was consigned by Twin Palms Stud to the 2015 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale, Session 2, where he was knocked down for $80,000.

He is the eighth foal of the imported Spectrum mare Dancing (GB) who won the Grade II Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita.

Dancing's half-sister Miss Vista also made the trip to the antipodes where she left her mark as the dam of Group 1 Ranvet Stakes and Group 1 Auckland Cup winner Zavite (Zabeel).

Dancing has a 2yo colt by Von Costa De Hero and a weanling filly by Office Bearer. She was covered by Charge Forward last spring.

Land Of Plenty becomes the 40th stakes-winner for Stratum (pictured) who died at Widden Stud in September 2016.

Widden stands Stratum's dual Group 1 winning son Stratum Star whose 2018 service fee has been set at $11,000.

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