It would take some beating to start a career with a Listed Stakes success followed by a Group III, then finishing runner-up in the $2million Magic Millions Classic.
That was the transition made by the Toby and Trent Edmonds-trained Alpine Edge, who travels from his Gold Coast base to Melbourne for Saturday's $300,000 Group III Caulfield Guineas Prelude (1400m).
After finishing second to Shaquero at the Gold Coast, Alpine Edge was off the scene for almost two months when he faced the best around in the Group II Todman Stakes (1200m) at Randwick.
He may have been at the end of his tether when finishing last of the seven runners led home by Anamoe.
Still, he did not finish far behind Direct, Remarque, Stay Inside, Home Affairs and Profiteer.
Before he had set foot on the track, Alpine Edge had already played his part in promoting the Lyndhurst Stud Farm's More Than Ready (USA) stallion, Better Than Ready.
He was purchased by Edmonds Racing/Kestral Thoroughbreds/Lucky Clover for $160,000 out of the Yarramalong Park draft from Book 2 of the 2020 Gold Coast Yearling Sale, the most expensive yearling by his sire to be sold at public auction that year.
The descendants of the imported broodmare Sweet Life (GB) have featured prominently here more than once.
Sweet Life (Pardao) was a younger sister to thestallion Spoiled Lad (GB) who stood with some success. The 1976 AJC Derby winner Great Lover, a half-brother to the remarkable Denise's Joy, came from his first crop.
Owned by Norman Booth, Sweet Life (GB) hit the ground running as a broodmare.
The foal she was carrying when imported, Sweet Habit (Habitat), was among the best two-year-olds around in 1979.
Trained by Neville Begg, Sweet Habit had two wins and two seconds from four starts before failing in Star Shower's Blue Diamond.
After finishing second to Lowan Star in the Group II Bloodhorse Breeders' Plate, Sweet Habit returned to Sydney.
She placed third behind Century Miss and Dawn Command in the Group 1 Golden Slipper, third in the Group 1 AJC Sires' Produce Stakes won by Zephyr Zip from Lowan Star and fourth to Charity, Mighty Kingdom and Lowan Star in the Group 1 AJC Champagne Stakes.
While Sweet Habit was easily the best of Sweet Life's nine filly foals, the most successful at stud was overwhelmingly Summoned (Crown Prince).
Purchased as a yearling by bookmaker Colin Tidy for $23,000, Summoned did not race.
She left an incredible legacy with five stakes-winners headed by the phenomenal Zeditave, Alannon, Pampas Fire, Square Deal and Zedigal.
Sweet Life (GB) was inherited by Norman Booth's daughter Barbara and her husband Peter O'Donnell, for whom she left the Luskin Star mare Sweet Something.
Sweet Something was neither Sweet Habit on the racetrack nor Summoned at stud.
The best she could do in five starts was a maiden win at Nowra.
She went on to have 11 foals, nine to race, and six winners.
When mated to the O'Donnell's home stallion Humam (Nijinsky), Sweet Something produced Sweet Humam, who made one start, finishing mid-pack in the Listed Gimcrack Stakes.
The line could have well ended there. However, Sweet Humam proved a more than useful broodmare leaving four winners from five to race headed by the Group III BTC Champagne Classic winner Golden Fox (Foxhound).
Not nearly as successful as her brother Golden Fox, Mortal Chase made four starts without hitting the board. She left three foals, the best of which was Alpine Edge's dam Freezethemillions.
By the Marscay stallion Freeze, a half-brother to Snowland, Snippetson and Portillo, Freezethemillions was twice Listed stakes-placed and was fourth in the Group II BRC Sires' Produce Stakes.
Purchased for just $5,000 at the 2013 QTIS Yearling Sale, Freezethemillions has three winners from as many starters to date.
She has been a profitable purchase for Yarramalong Park. Her first foal Aeecee Beau (Rubick), made $110,000 as a weanling and the second foal Aeecee Millions (Deep Field), made $60,000 as a weanling before making $160,000 a yearling.
The $160,000 Alpine Edge was her third foal.
John Morrisey outlaid $310,000 for Freezethemillions Deep Field colt at the Gold Coast in January. He has been named Deep Millions.
Freezethemillions foaled a brother to Alpine Edge last season and revisited Better Than Ready.
This season at three, Alpine Edge opened his winning account with a fast-finishing win over 1200m at Eagle Farm.
At his most recent start, the son of Better Than Ready could not stave off the in-form Startantes at Doomben for whom he was conceding 4kgs.
Alpine Edge will make his first start over 1400m at Caulfield on Saturday. He has often been off the bit chasing in shorter races, so we will bank on him relishing the trip.
