Last seasons Champion two-year-old Microphone opened his three-year-old account when running down Banquo in the final few strides of Saturday’s $200,000 Group II Hyland Race Colour Autumn Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield.
Ridden by Damian Lane for trainer James Cummings, the son of Exceed And Excel received a cosy run three back on the rails behind the pacesetting Written Tycoon colt Banquo but he seemed to be spinning his wheels for a long time before hitting his stride in the final 100 metres to charge home to defeat Banquo by a long-head with the Savabeel gelding Adelaide Ace three-quarter of a length back in third.
Runner-up in last season’s Group 1 Golden Slipper, Microphone adds the Autumn Stakes to wins in the Group 1 ATC Sires' Produce Stakes, Group II ATC Skyline Stakes and Listed VRC Talindert Stakes while advancing his overall record to 5 wins, 2 seconds and 1 third from 9 starts with earnings of $1,741,050.
"He put in a beautiful gallop during the week and he really gave us an indication he was bang on," Cummings told AAP.
"He worked well enough during the week to run him in the (Group 1) CF Orr.
"Whilst that was very tempting, he's done a very good job to achieve a win as at his third run as a three-year-old, after being champion two-year-old colt last season.
"It's a pretty satisfying achievement for the stable.
"We've got him in the Australian Guineas which is in three weeks and the Randwick Guineas, so whether we take him home to Sydney for the Hobartville in a fortnight, we'll see.
"There is also the Futurity Stakes here, so a Group One win against older horses would look fantastic on his resume, so there is options for him.
"We'll take our time, reflect on his performance today, and enjoy it."
A half-brother to two winners, Microphone is the fifth foal of the Listed Scone Dark Jewel Classic winner Sung (Anabaa) who Godolphin parted with last year. She was purchased by Boomer Bloodstock for $70,000 at the Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale.
Sung is a sister to the triple Group 1 winning sprinter Yell and a half-sister to Shouts (Strategic) the dam of Group 1 ATC Canterbury Stakes winner Holler (Commands).
The daughter of Anabaa is out of the stakes-winning Bluebird (USA) mare Vocalist who is a half-sister to dual Group 1 winner Anthems (Palace Music) and to the dam of the Group II ATC Hill Stakes winner Lamasery (Commands).
Granddam Loyal Lyric (Sovereign Red) is a half-sister to the dam of the popular stallion Written Tycoon the sire of the runner-up Banquo.
Sung has an unraced 2yo colt by Teofilo (IRE) named Choir. After slipping to Animal Kingdom in 2017, she was covered by Spirit Of Boom in 2018 and 2019.
