Microphone races his way into Godolphin’s Golden Slipper team

The G1 Golden Slipper picture became brighter rather than clearer for Godolphin following the running of Saturday’s lead-ups at Randwick in which Microphone announced himself as yet another hot prospect in Australia’s feature juvenile race.

Microphone scored his third victory from four starts in the G2 Skyline Stakes, producing a performance that was clearly his best to win by 1-1/4 lengths from Cosmic Force with Castelvecchio third.

All Microphone’s previous racing had been in Melbourne where he won twice over the Flemington straight track, leaving him to prove himself going right-handed.

With that test now out of the way, he needs only to hold it together for the three weeks leading up to the A$3.5 million Golden Slipper, run at Rosehill on Saturday, 23 March.

Trainer James Cummings said Microphone rated among the best of Godolphin’s potential Slipper runners, which could also include the Anthony Freedman-trained Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre.

"You'd have to rate him right there at the moment," Cummings said.

"This horse came here from Melbourne not long ago and we've barely breathed on him since."

"He's going to tighten up as clean-winded as he is. Come Slipper day he'll be like a young man with a new suit.

"The ability to switch off mid-race the way he did. There was good acceleration from the colt. He will take a great deal of improvement for the sake of the experience.”

McDonald is also the regular rider of Godolphin’s Golden Slipper favourite Tassort, a stablemate of Microphone who has his big-race lead-up next weekend.

"Microphone’s a beauty," McDonald said.

"He's got a big motor and he's such a pleasure to ride. He jumps well, puts himself in the race, relaxes and he's got a great turn of foot.

"Obviously Godolphin has a very strong hand in the Slipper.

"The way he is coming on and he acts, he is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

"Some were suspect about him running a strong six furlongs but he has just knocked that on the head."