Each of them had a number of winners through the week and suggested again that they can get good performers for all distances. At Warwick Farm on Saturday Utzon, a five-year-old gelding by Nothin Leica Dane, trained by Les Bridge came into Doncaster calculations when he flew home to grab a win in the Group 3 Liverpool City Cup over 1200m. He had been second in the Group 3 Clissold Handicap over the same distance at Randwick on February 18 and earlier efforts included a win the STC Darby Munro Quality and a fourth in last year's Doncaster.

  Bred in NSW by Steve Vardy using Ivory Rose, a minor Sydney winner by the Century sire Gain Control, Utzon is one of 115 winners, the oldest of which are six-year-olds, by Nothin' Leica Dane. The others include Leica Falcon, a winner of the MRC Herbert Power Handicap and highly fancied for next year's Melbourne Cup; Superior Star, successful in the West Australian Oaks and Champion Fillies Stakes and second in the Singapore Derby; Ain't Seen Nothin', won eight races including the VRC Let's Elope Stakes, second in the AJC Adrian Knox Stakes and third in the MRC Underwood Stakes and STC Queen of the Turf Stakes.

  Nothin' Leica Dane, a product of the mating of Danehill with an Arrowfield Stud Sir Tristram mare, won on metropolitan tracks from1400 to 2500 metres with the highlights of his career being wins in the VRC Victoria Derby, AJC Spring Champion Stakes and Hobartville Stakes and seconds in the Melbourne Cup (at three), Sydney Cup and the Prix Foy, a Group 3 event in France.

  Arena also contested the Sydney Cup (finished fourth) and the Melbourne Cup twice but did not stay well enough despite stout maternal breeding comprising a mare by the Blushing Groom stamina influence Tawfig and out of a daughter of Oncidium, but. Like Nothin' Leica Dane, he was versatile enough to win the Victoria Derby and Hobartville Stakes. In addition he was successful in Sydney in the Canterbury Guineas, Hill Stakes and Gloaming Stakes and second in the AJC Australian Derby, STC Tancred Stakes and VRC Australian Cup.

  Arena is now a rising star among NSW sires with his oldest progeny four-year-olds including the brilliant performers Regal Cheer (followed up placings in Sydney in the Light Fingers on February 18 and Millie Fox on March 4 with an eye catching win in the Group 2 Surround Stakes at Warwick Farm on Saturday) and My Lady's Chamber (two-year-old winner Randwick on March 4) and the promising stayer Lancaster Park.      

  Trained by Rod Craig for her breeder, former racing industry leader Ross Cribb, the four-year-old Lancaster Park suggested she could be worth a crack at the Brisbane or Melbourne Cups when she romped home five lengths ahead of her nearest rival in winning a Class 6 event over 2400 metres in class record time at Randwick on March 8.

  Another example of success being achieved through the Danehill- Sir Tristram blend, being from a mare by Dr Grace, Lancaster Park has won five races including two over this distance at Randwick.

By Brian Russell