When Darley released their service fees earlier this week, Microphone was absent from the 2025 roster and a quick check on Studbook shows he has been exported to the USA, but the son of Exceed and Excel was in the winner’s list on ANZAC Day producing his first stakes-winner.
The Listed VRC Anzac Day Stakes (1400m) at Flemington attracted a field of up and comers that included the Nick Ryan trained first starter Highvol, who produced a tenacious debut victory under a great ride from Jamie Melham.
He kept giving all the way to the line to hang on for a narrow win over late closers Stay Cosmic (Cosmic Force) and Just Kick (Staphanos Jpn).
“From day dot, we’ve always had a big opinion of him,” said stable representative Damian Kefford..
“He’s just a bit revvy, very typical of a Microphone, I think. So, we gelded him, gave him a lot of jumpouts.
“Nick decided, ‘look, we’ll roll the dice here’. Nick always thought he’d be a 1400m+ horse.
“It is a big task to come to Flemington for your first start over 1400m, but the raps that we had on him were warranted today.”
Highvol was a $100,000 Inglis Premier purchase for S King / Nick Ryan Racing from the Noorilim Park draft and will be given further opportunity for stakes success this season with the Brisbane Winter Carnival mentioned as a possible option.
Bred by Noorilim Park, he is the best of three winners from Aspenet, an unraced half-sister by Hussonet (USA) to stakes-winner Lord Aspen.
With his oldest progeny three year-olds, Microphone has sired 18 winners with Highvol the first stakes-winner. His popularity waned quickly in the last few years and Microphone covered only 12 mares last year.
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