Trainer James Cummings is confident his three juveniles Microphone, Kiamichi and Tenley will handle the step up to 1400m of the Group 1 $1m Inglis Sires’ at Randwick on Day One Of The Championships on Saturday.
Kiamichi, above in yellow cap, beats off stablemate Microphone to win the Golden Slipper at Rosehill. Photo by Steve Hart.
All three two-year-olds are coming out of the Group 1 $3.5m Longines Golden Slipper (1200m) at Rosehill on March 23 with Kiamichi scoring an all the way win and holding off the late challenge of the runner up Microphone while Tenley suffered her first defeat from four starts when she failed to handle the heavy track and only beat one runner home in fifteenth place.
Cummings has reported that the three youngsters have come through the tough Golden Slipper run in good order and is looking forward to another bold showing from the ‘blue army’.
Kiamichi’s ability to lead or race on the pace and her versatility to handle all sorts of track gives her a great chance to record back to back Group 1 wins.
“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.”
“She’ll be in control of her own destiny even if the track is rain-affected. That’s what we love about her.”
Kiamichi made light work of barrier fourteen in the sixteen horse Golden Slipper field and has the luxury of the inside gate in the Ingles Sires’ with Damian Lane in the saddle again.
On the other hand Microphone has to contend with gate eleven in the fourteen horse Inglis Sires’ field after jumping from the rails in the Golden Slipper but Cummings is confident the Exceed And Excel colt will get the job done with Hugh Bowman sticking with him.
“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.”
The Randwick track was rated a Soft 7 on race eve and a better racing surface will help the chances of Tenley who struggled in the wet conditions in the Golden Slipper.
“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.”
Kerrin McEvoy replaces James McDonald on Tenley who has drawn nicely at barrier three.
McDonald has switched to the Ciaron Maher and David Eustace trained Loving Gaby (barrier 5) who is the solid $4.40 favourite for the Inglis Sires’ at Ladbrokes.com.au.
Microphone is the most fancied of the Cummings trio in the market order at $5.50 ahead of Kiamichi at $6.50 while Tenley is at the double figure odds of $11.
