Connections of the Snitzel colt Lofty Strike can expect renewed interest from studmasters after the three-year-old returned to the winners circle for the first time in a year in the Group II McCafe Rubiton Stakes at Sandown-Hillside on Saturday.
Given plenty of time to find his feet by Craig Newitt, the Julius Sandhu-trained 3yo came with a barnstorming finish to defeat the heavily backed favourite Uncommon James (Cable Bay) by three-quarters of a length with a long-head back to Chain Of Lightning (Fighting Sun) in third.
Last year, Lofty Strike won the Group III Blue Diamond Prelude at his second start after winning at Flemington on debut.
That was it for the season, and Lofty Strike’s 3yo season kicked off with a third in the Group III Blue Sapphire at Caulfield and fourth behind In Secret in the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
A month later, he was seventh in the Group 1 Darley Sprint, just a length behind the winner Roch 'n' Horse.
His overall record advances to three wins and a third from six starts with earnings of $600,500.
It was an emotional moment for Julius Sandhu.
“It’s really hard to put into words. We didn’t plan this race out. We thought the Oakleigh Plate would be our kick-off,” Sandhu admitted.
“We went to that jump-out two weeks ago, and he surprised me enormously, the way he went and the way he pulled up.
“Froggy (Newitt) got off and said this boy is serious. He came here and galloped on Tuesday and pretty much put himself in the race.
“He is such a mentally strong horse, and he is so competitive. He does everything right back home, and it doesn’t matter what work you give him, he goes back and eats up well.
“He’s a racehorse ,and Froggy just knew a bit more about him today than he did at his last start, and he held him up, held him up and held him up then launched like he did in the Preview (last year).
“We’ll go back home and make sure he’s ok. We’ll make sure we do all the things we need to do back home, and hopefully, we see you in a fortnight.”
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, and then she missed to Fastnet Rock before foaling a Snitzel colt named Talbragar.
Retained to race by George Altomonte, Talbragar won his first three starts before his unbeaten run ended in the Kosciuszko last October.
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 in November 2021.
Overreach has a 2yo filly by Snitzel and a yearling filly foal by Zoustar.
After foaling a Capitalist filly last spring, Overreach paid another visit to Snitzel.
