Stratum kept the pressure at boiling point at the top of the second-season sires’ premiership with an interstate double on Friday night.

My Destiny broke his maiden in the Cafe Culture Hcp at Canterbury and minutes later Umgeton maintained her winning momentum in the Essendon Mazda 55 Second Challenge (Heat 14) at Moonee Valley.

My Destiny (3g Stratum – Grand Story by Grand Lodge) impressed at Hawkesbury on debut earlier this month and he made more progress to score by a length over 1350m second-up.  “He’s still immature and will keep improving,” trainer Tony Karakatsanis revealed.  “He’s already looking for a mile.”

The Canterbury result sent Stratum even further ahead for across-the-board titles in the second-season sires’ division.  There have been 39 Australian winners of 50 races which puts him well ahead of fellow Widden sire Snippetson on 25 winners of 30 races.

My Destiny is from a half-sister to G1 BTC Doomben Cup winner Mr Bureaucrat (Bureaucracy).  He was a $50,000 buy from Southern Cross Breeders at the 2009 Gold Coast Magic Millions.

Umgeton (3f Stratum – Edgeton by Racer’s Edge) led from go-to-whoa at Moonee Valley to make it 4 wins from 7 starts.  She broke through the $100,000 barrier to increase her sire’s earnings to $1.41 million so far this season.  Arrowfield sire Snitzel is next on the second-season table with $1.25 million.

“She’s a filly with a lot of ability,” trainer Brendon Hearps offered.  “We will set her for a stakes race at Flemington next month.”

Umgeton was a canny buy for Chatswood Stud at the 2008 Magic Millions National weanling sale.  Studmaster Greg Willis bought her for $18,000 and then on-sold the filly at the 2009 Inglis Melbourne Premier yearling sale for $72,500.

Her dam Edgeton is by Chatswood’s evergreen sire Racer’s Edge and she was a Listed winner of the Ian McEwen Trophy at Moonee Valley.  The mare has missed to Danzero, Not A Single Doubt and Stratum for the last three years and was covered by Denman last September.

Stratum (Redoute’s Choice) was a G1 winner of the 2005 Golden Slipper and has sired a dozen black-type winners from his first two crops led by 2010 Golden Slipper winner Crystal Lily.  He was Australia’s Champion 2yo sire with his first crop and that was the catalyst for a service fee hike from $30,000 to $55,000 last year.