Blinkered approach with Edmonds’ star
EXCITING Gold Coast colt Alpine Edge faces the biggest test of his young career at Randwick on Saturday.
Ratings analyst Daniel O’Sullivan says the galloper needs to find four lengths to knock off some of Australia’s best two-year-olds.
The Golden Slipper credentials of Alpine Edge go on the line in the Group 2 Todman Stakes where he confronts equal Slipper favourites Profiteer and Stay Inside.
Toby and Trent Edmondstrained Alpine Edge couldn’t have done much more, winning a pair of stakes races at Eagle Farm to begin his career in December before surging home for second in the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic in January after being slow away.
Three-time Melbourne Cup winner Glen Boss is a key booking and the blinkers go on for the first time to sharpen up the colt.
O’Sullivan said Alpine Edge can improve with blinkers but he needs to make big strides to challenge and show he can be a serious Golden Slipper contender.
“On my ratings he has three to four lengths to make up to put himself in the mix to challenge and beat the top two-year-olds,” said O’Sullivan, from The Ratings Bureau and BetSmart Racing.
“He probably needs to improve three lengths to make himself very competitive and something like four lengths to knock them off.
“Blinkers go on Saturday and that gives him some angle to potentially improve, so it will be interesting to see if he can do that and by how much?”
O’Sullivan doubts the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO form, feeling this year’s race, won by Shaquero, was hardly a vintage edition.
The Chris Waller-trained Shaquero was disappointing last Saturday when having his first run since his Magic Millions triumph, finishing 5½lengths off O’president in the Group 2 Skyline Stakes at Randwick.
“On my assessments, the Magic Millions was below average this year, especially compared to the likes of when Sunlight and Houtzen won, even Away Game last year,” O’Sullivan said.
“With the current top two Slipper favourites racing in the Todman, the supporters of Alpine Edge are going to get the ideal measuring stick as to exactly where he sits.”
Alpine Edge is rated an $18 chance to win on Saturday and a $51 hope in the Slipper.
Toby Edmonds won the Gold Coast Magic Millions 2YO Classic with Houtzen in 2017 before the filly ran fifth in the Golden Slipper.