Trainer Julius Sandhu is cautiously optimistic as Lofty Thoughts, a $200,000 Snitzel colt, makes his debut in Saturday’s Geelong Diamond.
The ballot-exempt race for the Blue Diamond Stakes is a key stepping stone for the promising two-year-old, listed as a $15 chance with betting sites.
Ridden by Jamie Mott, who guided Sandhu’s former star Lofty Strike to consecutive victories early in his career, Lofty Thoughts has drawn inevitable comparisons.
“He’s a big, strapping individual that will only get better with time. Physically, he’s in great nick,” Sandhu told racing.com, praising the colt’s athleticism.
However, he admitted there’s work to do on the mental side. “This guy has got a bit to do in the mental maturity stakes.”
Sandhu views the debut as a valuable learning experience.
“If he does most things right, they will know he’s in the race when the whips are cracking.”
A strong performance could position Lofty Thoughts as a contender for premier two-year-old races like the Blue Diamond Stakes.
