The impeccably bred Snitzel colt Lofty Strike stamped his Blue Diamond ticket with a stunning debut over 1100m at Flemington on Saturday.
Ridden by Jamie Mott for trainer Julius Sandhu, Lofty Strike defeated the sensationally backed favourite English Riviera (Deep Field) by three-quarters of a length with Jamarra (Duporth) a further three and a quarter lengths back in third.
Sandhu said it was an enormous relief.
“It’s just good to see him come to the track and actually do it,” Sandhu said.
“I was a bit concerned first time coming to the Flemington straight. It’s not easy for most horses but he’s really professional.
“To see him come there and put it all together, he didn’t do much wrong, he got a bit lost when he came to the outside, but he let down.
“He’s got a nice turn of foot and to see him do it on race day on a big stage is obviously very pleasing.
“We’ve paid up (for the Blue Diamond). This is a starting point and he’s got to pull up well from this.
“He’ll go to one of the qualifiers and has to do all the right things there, the old cliche but we’ll take it one race at a time.
“He’s only a two-year-old and he’s a big horse, we have to make sure he pulls up good and go from there.”
Mott said that Lofty Strike would take great benefit from the race.
“Very well prepared by Julius. I watched his jump outs and he looked quite professional,” Mott said.
“Coming up the straight the first time you never know how they’ll handle it but when I came out to the mounting yard and saw him for the first time I was pretty happy, he’s a beautiful big horse.
“He went down to the barriers nicely, he was a bit new once I got out but I think he’s got a lot more to give still.
“He’ll be better after this preparation, but he’s done everything right so far. He feels like he’ll be able to absorb a high tempo 1200m so it wouldn’t be a bad thing to throw in a nomination (to the Blue Diamond).
Lofty Strike was a $280,000 purchase by the Paul Lofitis managed Lofty Thoroughbred Group from the Corumbene Stud draft at the 2021 Magic Millions.
The son of Snitzel is the second foal of Corumbene’s 2013 ATC Golden Slipper winner Overreach.
The daughter of Exceed And Excel had a troubled start to her broodmare career.
Her first foal by Sepoy died after birth. She missed to Fastnet Rock before foaling a Snitzel colt named Talbragar.
Retained to race by George Altomonte’s Corumbene Stud, Talbragar won his only start at Narromine in October last year for Kody Nestor. He has not been seen since and is now in the stable of Cody Morgan.
A sister to Group II ATC Expressway Stakes winner Standout and Widden Stud’s stakes-placed Outreach, Overreach is a three-quarter sister to Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Reward For Effort a great stalwart for Chatswood Stud before his death last November.
Overreach has a yearling filly by Snitzel and a filly foal by Zoustar.
She was covered by Capitalist last spring.
