Microphone was an exceptional racehorse and now his progeny are making their mark. A filly named Pulpit recently made her debut, securing an easy two-length victory in the QTIS 2YO Maiden Plate over 1,200m at Doomben on Wednesday, 22 November.
Only the third of Microphone’s first progeny to race, Pulpit confirmed a smart barrier-trial performance when she crossed from a wide gate for jockey Martin Harley to sit outside the leader before booting clear to beat Rockrata by 2.25 lengths.
Bred by SF Bloodstock out of the unraced American mare Sarah’s Holy Belle, Pulpit was offered by Newgate Consignment, Aberdeen at the 2022 Inglis Australian Weanling Sale and purchased by Wahha Thoroughbreds.
Pulpit is trained by Barry Lockwood at Eagle Farm, looked well educated and comfortably handed the Heavy 9 racing surface.
Microphone was a four-time Stakes winner, including the G1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1,400m) at Royal Randwick in 2019.
Widely regarded as the best two-year-old son of Exceed And Excel, Microphone was the Champion Two-Year-Old of 2018-19 in a crop that included multiple feature-race winners Yes Yes Yes, Time To Reign, Exceedance, Castelvecchio, Lyre, Probabeel and Loving Gaby.
Microphone retired to stud after just 11 starts and has been fully booked in his first few seasons.
At this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Microphone’s top lot – a colt out of US mare South Of France – sold for $750,000 to a syndicate that included Newgate Farm and the China Horse Club, while his 13 yearlings averaged just over $233,000.
Darley’s head of stallions Alastair Pulford said Microphone was an equine athlete on the track and he promises to continue the remarkable stud success of sires with his Danehill bloodlines.
“Obviously it is very pleasing to see such a professional winner this early in his career,” Pulford said.
“Microphone stamps his stock well and, if they can run up to his ability, we are in for an exciting time.
“He was of course a brilliant two-year-old himself, and as such it is not surprising that his progeny are showing ability at this early stage.
Microphone stands at Darley’s Kelvinside property in the NSW Hunter Valley for a service fee of $33,000, GST inclusive.
The well fancied Pulpit was very professional on debut! pic.twitter.com/lMZamdReXV
— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 22, 2023
