Lofty Strike was denied a shot at Group 1 glory at last year’s Blue Diamond meeting, but the son of Snitzel emphatically declared on Saturday that he is on track for a shot at redemption 12 months on.
The Julius Sandhu-trained three-year-old scored a dazzling first-up win under Craig Newitt in the $300,000 Group 2 Rubiton Stakes (1100m) at Sandown.
Lofty Strike won the Group 3 Blue Diamond Prelude at the corresponding meeting last year, before being scratched from the Group 1 Blue Diamond by order of Racing Victoria vets.
He proved he was over that issue in a three-run spring campaign and Sandhu now has his sights set on the $750,000 Group 1 Oakleigh Plate (1100m), which will be run at Sandown on the same day as Blue Diamond – February 25=, after Saturday’s success.
“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 said.
“But 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.
“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 ($8) unleashed a powerful finish from the rear of the field to run down untapped Queensland sprinter and $2.80 favourite Uncommon James and score by three quarters of a length.
The unlucky Chain Of Lightning ($5), who was held up in between runners early in the straight, hit the line stylishly to finish third, just a further long-head away.
