Two-year-old dominance continues with Microphone’s G1 Sires' Produce win

Godolphin’s sweep through Australia’s juvenile races continued with Microphone giving the stable a G1 success in Saturday’s ATC Sires’ Produce Stakes adding to elite level victories in the Blue Diamond Stakes and the Golden Slipper.

A gallant second over the 1,200m of the Slipper two weeks earlier, Microphone made good use of an extra 200m to win the second leg of the Sydney two-year-old Triple Crown in commanding style.

As well as being a credit to himself, his trainer and his stable, Microphone added to the reputation of his sire Exceed And Excel as the world’s greatest sire of juvenile Stakes winners.

Microphone’s triumph was the highlight of a day when the royal blue was also carried to success in Group races by Bivouac in the G3 Kindergarten Stakes and Multaja in the G3 PJ Bell Stakes.

It also continued a stellar season for Godolphin and Cummings, particularly with the stable’s two-year-old’s who have won 26 races this season.

Microphone finished second over the 1,200m of Golden Slipper behind his stablemate Kiamichi and showed an appreciation for the extra 200m of the Sires’, asserting himself over the final stages to win by two lengths.

Loving Gaby ran on well for second with Kiamichi dead-heating for third.

Cummings said the colt had enjoyed a quiet week after his Slipper exertions.

“We barely had to breathe on him for this race today, we just had to be confident in the horse,” Cummings said.

“We didn’t do too much with him, and his class shone through.”

“He’s a star colt. I think back to the Tuesday before the Slipper and he absolutely exploded for us in a gallop.”

Jockey Hugh Bowman had Microphone perfectly positioned and the pair took advantage of an inside run approaching the 200m, collaring Kiamichi soon after and then holding on to win by three-quarters of a length.  

Cummings said the colt’s four wins for the season so far, and the manner in which he won the Sires’ suggested he was the best of his age in Australia.

“He stormed to the line once again in another top class two-year-old race,” he said. 

“The longevity of his campaign, his strength, his class, all those things point to him being the best two-year-old in the country this season.”

Bowman said Microphone had demonstrated rare qualities and would be at his best over more ground.

"I will be surprised if he isn't the best horse out of the Golden Slipper," Bowman said.

"I think he will improve enormously on what we saw today, we won’t see the best of him until he gets to 1,600m."

Earlier on the Randwick card, Bivouac gained consolation for just missing out on a Slipper start when he won the G3 Kindergarten Stakes.

Another son of Exceed And Excel, Bivouac stormed to a two length victory over Libertini with his Godolphin stablemate Athiri in third place.

Multaja completed the day in style, coming from well back to earn herself valuable black type by winning the PJ Bell Stakes.

The Godolphin team also featured in a pair of G1 placings, with Osborne Bulls finishing second to Santa Ana Lane in the TJ Smith Stakes and Hartnell running a gallant third under topweight in the Doncaster Handicap.