Cover image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
On the eve of the G2 Rubiton, S. Swettenham Stud is proud to announce that on Friday they acquired the services of the exciting Lofty Strike.
The son of the four-time Champion Sire Snitzel has retired to the Nagambie-based property sound and is in total health for the 2024 breeding season, where he will stand at an introductory fee of $22,000 (inc GST).
Ahead of the announcement, The Thoroughbred Report caught up with Swettenham Stud’s General Manager - operations and nominations, Sam Matthews, to learn more about the latest sensational coup for the Victorian breeding industry and breeders.
Sam Matthews | Image courtesy of The Image Is Everything
Major coup
The acquisition of Lofty Strike brings the Swettenham Stud roster to six stallions and further cements the operation’s desire and commitment to offer breeders sons of the most preeminent sirelines in Australia and globally.
Lofty Strike will stand alongside Toronado (Ire), a son of High Chaparral (Ire). At the same time, the roster is complemented by Encosta De Lago’s proven son Rubick as well as Puissance De Lune (Ire), a son of Shamardal (USA). The first-season sire I Am Immortal, who is by Australia’s reigning Champion Sire I Am Invincible, and Wooded (Ire), a son of the increasingly popular Wootton Bassett (GB), whose first foals arrived last spring.
“Lofty Strike is an incredible coup for Swettenham Stud and Victoria. We are thrilled to offer breeders a horse of his pedigree, performance and physical,” Matthews enthused to The Thoroughbred Report.
“Lofty Strike is an incredible coup for Swettenham Stud and Victoria. We are thrilled to offer breeders a horse of his pedigree and performance physical.” - Sam Matthews
“He has been retired already and is settling into life as a stallion on the farm. It’s an exhilarating time for the team. New stallions always bring excitement, but this one is just something else.
“The acquisition of Lofty Strike really capitalises on what Swettenham’s goal is, which is to have one of the best sons of champion stallions, and that’s proven to work very well.
“Toronado has been a prime example for us. I think you want people to relate to the pedigrees, understand the pedigrees and not too far outside the lines, but by the same token, you want and need a horse that has a profile and is an attractive specimen.
“Lofty Strike is the first son of Snitzel we will stand. Interestingly, four of five current stallions are Danehill-free, so Lofty Strike is going to fit in well with the current roster and be an option for our broodmare population.”
“Interestingly, four of five current stallions are Danehill-free, so Lofty Strike is going to fit in well with the current roster and be an option for our broodmare population.” - Sam Matthews
Powerhouse performer
Lofty Strike was purchased by Paul Lofitis, who manages the Lofty Thoroughbred Group, for $280,000 from the draft of Corumbene Stud at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale. He was then sent into training with Cranbourne-based horseman Julius Sandhu.
In January of his juvenile season, Lofty Strike burst onto the scene with an explosive performance on debut at Flemington and swiftly followed the effort with a victory in the G3 Blue Diamond Prelude (Colts and Geldings) at Caulfield, cementing himself as the favourite for the G1 Blue Diamond S. Daumier, who won the G1 Blue Diamond S. and the dual Group 1 winner Jacquinot, finished in arrears of Lofty Strike that Saturday in February.
Lofty Strike after winning the G2 Rubiton S. | Image courtesy of Racing Photos
Unfortunately, for connections of Lofty Strike, he didn’t get his opportunity to contest the Blue Diamond, with Racing Victoria veterinary staff electing to scratch the colt from the significant event controversially.
Sent for a spell, Lofty Strike returned in the spring of his 3-year-old season to finish fourth in the G1 Coolmore Stud S. behind the electric In Secret (I Am Invincible), who would also defeat the son of Snitzel in the G1 Newmarket H. emphasising the calibre of opposition he faced.
Lofty Strike won the G2 Rubiton S., where he defeated the subsequent G1 Oakleigh Plate victor Uncommon James (Cable Bay {Ire}). In the Group 2 event, Lofty Strike recorded the fastest last 600 metres and 200 metres of the G1 CF Orr S. meeting and recorded a quicker time than the Champion Sprinter Nature Strip (Nicconi) in the event.
At the conclusion of his career, Lofty Strike had defeated or finished in front of the horses the calibre of Coolangatta (Written Tycoon), I Wish I Win (NZ) (Savabeel), Asfoora (Flying Artie), Private Eye (Al Maher) and Bella Nipotina (Pride Of Dubai).
“We had been chatting with Paul Lofitis since Lofty Strike’s debut at Flemington. We kept a keen eye on him after he won the Blue Diamond Prelude, where he became a favourite for the Blue Diamond.
“Sadly for connections he was scratched the morning of that event. Arguably, if he contested the Blue Diamond, he would probably win it, and most of the better-form people would agree with that statement. If he did, he would become a very, very expensive commodity.
“Arguably, if he (Lofty Strike) contested the Blue Diamond, he would probably win it, and most of the better-form people would agree with that statement.” - Sam Matthews
“So, we were chatting with them all the way through. Understandably, they wanted to hold on to Lofty Strike and see if they could get that elusive Group 1. Towards the end of 2023, Swettenham Stud started to have a stronger conversation with Paul Loftis about trying to get something sorted for the 2024 breeding season.
“Paul and Julius were certainly keen to head towards the Goodwood, and he obviously would have been a live chance in the Goodwood, but we decided with Paul and Julius’ blessing that it was the time to retire him.
“Lofty Strike has done as much as we need him to, being second in the G1 Newmarket H., the G1 Oakleigh Plate and winning the Rubiton. He’s done plenty, and now is the time to retire him while he’s very current in people’s minds. Give him a chance to let down and let everybody have a look at him.”
Since his arrival at Swettenham Stud, Lofty Strike has turned heads with his striking physique and temperament.
Lofty Strike is the first son of Snitzel (pictured) to stand at Swettenham Stud | Standing at Arrowfield Stud
Matthews has already developed a soft spot for the son of Snitzel, “He’s an absolute gentleman. You could take your kids in there and have pony rides on him.
“He’s a lovely horse to do anything with. Lofty Strike has an incredible temperament. It’s amazing because we got the testosterone testing with him when we got him vetted, and he’s got enormous amounts of testosterone. So, fertility won’t be an issue.
“But I just can’t believe he’s temperament for a stallion. Even the first time I went to see him at Julius’ stables, Paul was just there in his box, feeding him by hand and giving him a bit of a cuddle. So, his temperament is just like nothing I’ve seen.”
The three Ps
Lofty Strike brings physique, performance and pedigree to Swettenham Stud. Snitzel has sired 141 stakes winners and has been crowned Australia’s Champion Sire four times from his Arrowfield Stud base.
Snitzel, of course, is a son of the breed shaping Redoute’s Choice. Meanwhile, Lofty Strike’s maternal side brings plenty of punch. He is the third foal from Overreach (Exceed And Excel), who was crowned the Champion 2-Year-Old Filly in Australia.
Overreach when racing | Image courtesy of Sportpix
Overreach claimed the G1 Golden Slipper, the G2 Reisling S. and the Listed Widden S.
In addition, she was also placed in the G1 Sires’ Produce S., and the G2 Schillaci S. Overreach is a full sister to the G2 Expressway S. victor Standout.
Furthermore, prominent on Lofty Strike’s pedigree page is the G1 Blue Diamond S. winner Reward For Effort, another son of Darley’s outstanding Exceed And Excel.
Swettenham Stud has already singled out several mares to send Lofty Strike in his first season, as has Paul Lofitis.
Paul Lofitis
“We’ve acquired and pinpointed a couple of mares we will support Lofty Strike with, as has Paul. We’re certainly keen to be supporters of all our stallions, but we’re not a farm that will give one stallion 60 or 80 mares in their first book.
“But we’ll certainly be supporting Lofty Strike with mares that suit him because most of our mares are free of Danehill, so they match up well. We have about half a dozen earmarked for him, and there’ll be a few more to add to that as well.
“His pedigree really doesn’t get any better. He is by a Champion Sire from a mare that won a Golden Slipper and is by Exceed And Excel. There is already a Blue Diamond winner on the page in Reward For Effort, and as mentioned before, arguably, there should be two Blue Diamond winners on the page.
“It’s an enormous pedigree, a very current pedigree as well. Lofty Strike has a page that everybody knows. We almost ran out of ink having to print the pedigree page because there is so much black type throughout it.
“It’s (Lofty Strike's) an enormous pedigree, a very current pedigree as well. We almost ran out of ink having to print the pedigree page because there is so much black type throughout it.” - Sam Matthews
“Lofty Strike has retired sound, and he’s at the farm for anyone who wants to inspect him. We’re happy to show him off and can’t wait to welcome visitors to Swettenham Stud.
“He’s a very exciting prospect, and it’s been great for us. Julius, Paul and the whole Lofitis family have been great to work with, and we look forward to Lofty Strike beginning the new chapter in his life.”
