Extreme Choice had solid claims as the best two-year-old around last season and announced his return with a monumentally impressive win over a world-class field of sprinters in Friday night's $500,000 Group 1 Charter Keck Cramer Moir Stakes (1000m) at Moonee Valley.
Winner of his first three starts including the Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes, Extreme Choice filled a foolscap page in the steward's report when beaten for the first time in the Group 1 Golden Slipper.
Some of the industry's heavy hitters including Newgate Farm, China Horse Club and Aquis Farm bought into the son of Not A Single Doubt and all must be feeling mighty chuffed right now.
Trainer Mick Price indicated that Extreme Choice would be ridden back in the field from an outside barrier and regular rider Craig Newitt carried out the instructions to the letter.
With Ball Of Muscle, Buffering and Redzel cutting out the early fractions, odd-on favourite Chautauqua looked to be in some trouble keeping in touch.
Dwayne Dunn was hard at work on the grey 800m out. Just in front of him, Extreme Choice was travelling well within himself. He then did the unthinkable by outsprinting the world's highest rated sprinter.
Newitt let him cruise to the line to defeat Heatherly by one and a quarter length with a short-half -head to Wild Rain in third. (photo Grant Courtney)
Price said he had his doubts about running Extreme Choice against such a richly talented field from an outside barrier.
"In the end, we thought it's a Group 1 and didn't want to take a backward step on him. He proved tonight he's a real stud colt.
"The Coolmore (Stud Stakes) is a stallion making race, that's a month between runs.
"I think we're running in the Blue Sapphire as a run into the Coolmore but it wouldn't worry me if we didn't run in the Blue Sapphire.
"It was all about franking his stud value tonight. Newgate Stud and his owners have put a lot of money and faith in him and they are going to get it back."
Price said the nuggetty chestnuts lack of size would be no bar to him succeeding as a stallion.
"Bletchingly, Biscay, Northern Dancer, some of the world's greatest
Craig Newitt was in awe of the winner.
"I think he went to a whole new level tonight," Newitt said.
"He went like a rocket. He had the best sprinter in the world sitting on his backside and he left him behind. It doesn't happen very often."
Winner of the valuable Inglis Nursery at Randwick at his first start and the Group III Chairman's Stakes at Caulfield at his second, Extreme Choice was knocked down to Mick Price for $100,000 Inglis Classic Summer Yearling sale.
A brother to the 3-time winner Raise No Doubt, he is the fourth foal of the unraced Hussonet (USA) mare Extremely who was purchased out of the Arrowfield draft by Bell River Thoroughbreds, for $30,000 at the 2013 Easter Broodmare sale.
Her dam, Going To Extremes (USA) (Nast And Bold), was an 11-time winner in Canada including the Grade II Royal North Handicap at Woodbine.
What an investment Extremely proved to be for Bell River as she was sold at this year's Inglis Easter Broodmare sale to Yu Long Investments for $735,000
Extremely has 2yo filly by Duporth and a yearling colt by Smart Missile, which failed to make his $300,000 reserve at the Magic Millions Weanling sale.
Extremely was covered by Not A Single Doubt again last year.
Second to Street Cry (IRE) as Australia's champion sire last season, Not A Single Doubt had a huge night at the Valley.
Thirty minutes before Extreme Choice blitzed the Moir, Not A Single Doubt's daughter Don't Doubt Mamma was equally as impressive in the Group II Stock Stakes. Read about her win here.
