In a landmark acquisition for Swettenham Stud and the Victorian breeding industry, the illustrious LOFTY STRIKE joins the Swettenham Stud roster for the 2024 breeding season.
The cult horse of his generation and one of the best-bred stallion prospects this century, Lofty Strike boasts an impeccable pedigree as the son of champion sire SNITZEL, out of Golden Slipper heroine OVERREACH.
An UNDEFEATED Group winning 2yo, his debut in January 2022 was nothing short of exceptional at Flemington where he put away a field of talented early 2yos over 1100m. At just his second start, he swooped from near-last to circle the field and put away the best of the 2yo colts in the Blue Diamond Prelude. In doing so, he defeated the likes of future Group 1 winners Jacquinot and Daumier, skyrocketing him to outright favourite for the stallion making Group 1 Blue Diamond.
LOFTY STRIKE was controversially scratched from the Blue Diamond, a race subsequently won by Daumier with Jacquinot running third, two colts (both currently at stud) whom he’d beaten by 1.75L and 2L at his previous start.
As a 3yo, he ran an unlucky 4th to Champion filly In Secret, defeating multiple Group 1 winners Coolangatta and Jacquinot as well as Sejardan and fellow Snitzel sire son Best of Bordeaux in the G1 Coolmore Stud Stakes.
After a short spell, LOFTY STRIKE returned to his brilliant best, first up in the Group 2 Rubiton Stakes. In a seemingly impossible position, the baldy faced star showed true grit to bullock his way clear, recording the fastest last 600m and 200m of the meeting, in a faster time than Australian Champion Racehorse NATURE STRIP.
Two weeks later he returned to contest the Group 1 Oakleigh Plate where he ran a gallant second to Uncommon James, namely due to the 3kg weight swing on their last encounter, beating Group 1 winners Masked Crusader and Roch ‘n’ Horse after sitting in 12th place at the 400m mark.
In his final start for the preparation, he tackled the Group 1 Newmarket at Flemington where he was narrowly defeated by track specialist In Secret in the fastest Newmarket in the past decade. His time of 1:08.40 put him lengths ahead of previous winners such as Bivouac, Sunlight and Brazen Beau.
In 12 starts, LOFTY STRIKE defeated 17 individual Group 1 winners and 60 Stakes winners. An undefeated Group winning 2yo, a Group 2 winning 3yo and twice Group 1 placed, he also ran two gallant fourth placings in group 1 races over 1100m and 1200m.
Lofty Strike’s pedigree matches his race record and looks, being by a Champion, out of a Golden Slipper winner and from the family of a Blue Diamond winner. He has been soundly retired to Swettenham Stud as an imposing, attractive and commercial stallion.
LOFTY STRIKE will stand for an introductory service fee of $22,000 incl GST for the 2024 breeding season.
