Lofty strikes in Blue Diamond Prelude

Snitzel’s 2YO son Lofty Strike could hardly have been more impressive at Caulfield on Saturday, powering up as the widest runner for a 34.04 last 600 metres and a 1.25 length victory in the $300,000 Blue Diamond Prelude 1100m G3.

He is Snitzel’s 118th stakeswinner, 45th 2YO stakeswinner and 14th stakeswinner this season.

It was a milestone first stakes victory for Cranbourne trainer Julius Sandhu who, despite his excitement, was thinking first about the colt, now quoted at $7 for the $1.5 million Blue Diamond S. G1 on 26 February.

“Exciting times but it is more about the horse. We’ll make sure he comes back and pulls up well and hopefully he ticks all the boxes and is sound.

“That’s going to be the more exciting factor tomorrow morning. If he’s happy, I’m happy.”

Jockey Jamie Mott, who also rode Lofty Strike in his debut win at Flemington a month ago, said, “He’s a beautiful animal. I was really confident after last start that he has the makings of a nice horse and he showed us that today.”

Shalaa’s stakes-winning son Semillion was a sound runner-up, as Jye McNeil noted, “He ran well, he seemed to have a nice blow after the race so he’ll come on with natural improvement.”

Corumbene Stud’s Gr1 Golden Slipper winner Overreach looks to have a good one as her @mmsnippets sold son Lofty Strike, a son of @ArrowfieldStud’s Snitzel, wins the Gr3 Blue Diamond Prelude (C&G) in style for Julius Sandhu & @jamieleemott🎉@pedigreeupdate @Sunline129 @NedsAus pic.twitter.com/OCYBP1QNrC

— Breedingracing.com (@BreedingRacing) February 12, 2022

Bred by George Altomonte’s famous Corumbene Stud, Lofty Strike now looks like an inspired purchase for property developer Paul Lofitis’ Lofty Thoroughbred Group which secured him for $280,000 after he was initially passed in at Magic Millions.

His pedigree is unquestionably top-drawer: he is out of Champion 2YO Filly Overreach (by Exceed And Excel), whose three wins included the 2013 Golden Slipper G1. She is a full sister of Group-winning sprinter Standout and closely related to 2009 Blue Diamond G1 winner and sire Reward For Effort.  

Snitzel’s growing record as a sire of sires was handily enhanced by the fillies’ Blue Diamond Prelude G3 winner Revolutionary Miss, the first stakeswinner for Snitzel’s brilliant sprinting son Russian Revolution. 

A couple of hours later on the same card 3YO colt Marine One (by Capitalist out of Snitzel’s stakes-winning daughter Golconda) completed a notable hat-trick for the four-time Champion Sire by winning the Rubiton S. G2. He is the 10th stakeswinner from a Snitzel mare.

Snitzel has 10 lots at the Inglis Melbourne Premier Sale and
26 lots at the Inglis Easter Sale.