G1 Sires’ Produce offering another big result for Godolphin

The pre-race domination isn’t quite as great as in the G1 Golden Slipper, but Saturday’s G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes at Randwick still offers the prospect of a similar result for Godolphin.

The filly Kiamichi led home an all-blue sweep of the Slipper two weeks ago and according to trainer James Cummings, there is no reason why she can’t do he same in the second leg of the two-year-old Triple Crown.  

“She’s handled her past two tough runs better than any other two-year-old would have,” Cummings said.

“Her strength at 1,200m should see her develop into a capable filly at 1,400m here and her training suggests that she’s continuing to thrive as this preparation unfolds.”

Suggesting a repeat of the racing pattern she showed in the Slipper, Cummings expressed his faith in his filly.

“She’ll be in control of her own destiny even if the track is rain-affected. That’s what we love about her,” he said.

Kiamichi (Damian Lane) is one of three Godolphin runners in the Sires’ with Golden Slipper runner-up Microphone (Hugh Bowman) and Tenley (Kerrin McEvoy) completing the cast.

From the inside gate last start, Microphone was compelled to race in the worst part of the track and his effort to take ground off Kiamichi in the final 100m suggests he’ll be suited over further here.  

“He stormed through the line in the Golden Slipper like a horse capable of taking the step up to 1,400m,” Cummings said.

“This colt will be well placed back at Randwick where he was very strong at the finish when he won the Skyline Stakes."

“This is a high-class G1 but he’s the right sort of horse.”

Tenley was the shortest price of Godolphin’s six Slipper runners, but she failed to handle the heavy conditions.

“She has the opportunity to restore her credibility by competing back on top of the ground and at 1,400m,” Cummings said.

“Importantly, she came out of the Golden Slipper unharmed and she’s capable of making up ground on her stablemates.”

A pair of Godolphin two-year-olds who missed the Slipper, Athiri and Bivouac, get their chance in Saturday’s G3 Kindergarten Stakes at Randwick.

Athiri showed her class when a good fourth in the G1 Blue Diamond Stakes at Caulfield last month and then finished third to Kiamichi in the G3 Magic Night Stakes at Rosehill.

“She looks well placed dropping back to 1,100m, she’s flying and she will be hard fit for this,” Cummings said.

“She appears to be one of the more seasoned two-year-olds among this lightly-raced group and it could be her best chance yet to get some all important black-type against her name.”

“Bivouac’s also going to enjoy dropping back to 1,100m after racing a little upside-down in the Todman.

“He’s handled himself well between runs and is capable of running on very strongly.”