Julius Sandhu does not let nerves get the better of him, but he admits he was on edge when Lofty Strike made his return to racing at Caulfield.
After having his two-year-old season cut short by Racing Victoria vets on the eve of the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes, Lofty Strike pleased Sandhu with his third-place finish on October 12.
With that run under the belt, Lofty Strike heads to Flemington on Saturday to contest the Group 1 Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m).
Lofty Strike, with Jamie Mott aboard, finished third behind Grand Impact, an opponent on Saturday, in the Group 3 Blue Sapphire Stakes (1200m) at Caulfield at his third race start.
The son of Snitzel had won his only two starts as a two-year-old, including one down the straight at Flemington, and Sandhu was unsure how the colt would handle the Heavy 10 conditions first-up after his lay-off at Caulfield.
“I think the fact that we were on a Heavy 10 that day wasn’t ideal for him, and I was pretty toey which I’m normally not,” Sandhu said.
“But once he came through the run OK and he finished off the way he did, which surprised me a little bit, he’s tightened up super.
“He got huge fitness benefit from that, and he’s trained through it super.
“He galloped enormous on Tuesday with Motty and the forecast, the way it is, more than likely we’ll have a reasonable track to race on which will suit him better than what he was on.
“If we end up with a Good 4, he’ll have everything that he didn’t have in his favour.”
Once given the all-clear to resume racing by RV vets, Sandhu began planning a campaign to have Lofty Strike at his peak for Saturday.
Sandhu was not keen to run on a very heavy track, but the colt needed a run prior to Saturday’s contest.
“We had A, B, C, D, E planned with everything aimed at the Coolmore,” Sandhu said.
“We ended up into the Coolmore via the Blue Sapphire via a couple of little pieces that could have been better in his prep leading up, but here we are.”
