Exciting times for the team at Lovatsville this spring with the arrival of first foals for Move to Strike, a 2YO Group I winning son of champion sire I Am Invincible, whose growing list of sire sons includes Home Affairs, Hellbent and Brazen Beau.
When Move to Strike scored a brilliant win in the Group I Manawatu Sires Produce (1400m) for Te Akau Racing in 2024 he claimed a piece of history as the very first Group I winning juvenile by I Am Invincible.
I Am Invincible has sired 20 Group I winners in total and only three have been successful at two, which makes Move to Strike somewhat unique in offering the speed and quality expected of this dominant sireline and also the precocity to be up and running as a juvenile.
He was a pre-Christmas 2YO winner and when scoring his career defining G1 victory, Move to Strike did so at the expense of subsequent Group I winners Savaglee, Velocious and Captured By Love.
The opportunity to stand a horse with these credentials was seized upon by Sam White and his team as Move to Strike has pedigree and physique to match his race record.
“I Am Invincible is a three time champion Australian sire and his sire sons are taking that forward with Home Affairs siring a Golden Slipper winner in his first crop to be the Champion First Season Sire, while Hellbent has been the quiet achiever that stands this spring at $55,000,” said Sam White.
“He’s a stallion that makes appeal for a myriad of mares given he has just one line of Danehill back in his fourth remove and his dam sire Shamardal is a very influential sire that is a grand-son of blue hen Helen Street.
“That makes him a great candidate for line breeding to Helen Street for mares carrying the blood of her champion sire son Street Cry.”
Move to Strike was warmly received and covered 143 mares last spring and the quality of his foals reflects the good looks of their sire who made $525,000 as a Magic Millions yearling when snapped up by Te Akau boss David Ellis.
Ellis is renowned for his ability to identify quality colts that can run with current leading young sire Sword of State fitting a very similar profile to Move to Strike.
That colt was a Group I winner in NZ at two by champion sire Snitzel and Sword of State is now sire of the best 3YO colt in Australia in Warwoven from his very first crop of foals.
Lovatsville have put together a great brochure highlighting 25 foals by Move to Strike with selected pedigrees that include siblings to Group and stakes-winners Bellatrix Star, Shadhavar, Mating Call, Autumn Mystery, Lassified, He’s Xceptional and Xtravagant Star.
Move to Strike is on track to cover similar numbers to last year resulting from the positive reaction to his foals.
