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Microphone to head to G2 Australia Stakes

3 minute read

Connections of three-year-old Microphone have opted to have to colt bypass the Listed Kensington Stakes and instead head to the Group Two Australia Stakes.

MICROPHONE winning the Inglis Sires during day one of The Championships as part of Sydney Racing at Royal Randwick in Sydney, Australia.
MICROPHONE winning the Inglis Sires during day one of The Championships as part of Sydney Racing at Royal Randwick in Sydney, Australia. Picture: (Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Godolphin trainer James Cummings has decided to wait for the Group Two Australia Stakes for Group One-winning colt Microphone's return to racing.

Three-year-old Microphone was nominated for Saturday's Listed Kensington Stakes (1000m) at Flemington, in which he would have had to carry 60kg and give weight to all his rivals, but he was not among acceptances on Wednesday.

The Kensington attracted a field of only six, with three-year-olds Time To Reign (54.5kg) and Sartorial Splendor (54kg) to take on the older horses including last start Listed Christmas Stakes winner All Too Royal (58.5kg).

"The reality is, the scale of the handicap in the Kensington Stakes isn't what we believed it to be," Cummings told the Godolphin website.

"We would be asked to give more than five kilos to some well-credentialled runners and we don't believe that is in the best interests of the horse."

The Australia Stakes (1200m) is on Friday week under lights at The Valley and is run under weight-for-age conditions.

Microphone starred during his juvenile season, winning four of his six starts as a two-year-old, including the Group One Sires' Produce Stakes at Randwick last April, and finishing second in the Golden Slipper.

The colt raced only once during the spring, finishing third in the Roman Consul Stakes in October.

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