DWAYNE Dunn will try and persuade James Cummings to keep debut Flemington winner Microphone in Melbourne for next month’s Blue Diamond Stakes. But it might be a losing battle.

“I’m a bit concerned that the plan is to get this done today, get the prizemoney, and then head to the Golden Slipper,” Dunn said on Saturday.

Adding to Dunn’s concerns is that Godolphin has not nominated Microphone for the Blue Diamond.

“I’ll say to James and the team to leave him in Melbourne as long as you can,” Dunn said.

Microphone had a narrow win, but Dunn suggested that wasn’t a reflection of his ability. “He’s in the top five Godolphin two-year-olds coming through, so it’s good to see him perform.”

Dunn sat comfortably on Microphone, who was down the middle of the track. But he had to shake up the colt when Pretty Brazen, who was on the inside, kicked clear with 100m to go.

Dunn admitted he thought Microphone might have picked up Pretty Brazen more easily than what transpired as he had to push hard to grab her and win by a nose.

Microphone’s stablemate Auxin stalked him down the outside and at one stage looked to be travelling better.

“The other horse had the advantage of being on the rail,” Dunn said. “I sort of held on to him thinking I had a lot more than what I did. His trials round the corner showed he’s got a turn of foot, but you don’t normally show that down the straight.”

Dunn said Microphone had had three trials in the lead-up to his debut, which may have taken the edge off him. “That was a pretty good effort down as I was in the middle on my own for most of the race,” he said.

Godolphin’s Melbourne foreman Kate Grimwade said Microphone’s win was “an impressive start to his career”.

“He has to do it on his own,” she said. “Auxin threatened with 200m to go, so it was good that he was able to fight back and respond in the manner that he did.

“I also couldn’t have been happier with Auxin’s run, too.”

Luke Currie, who rode runner-up Pretty Brazen, said the Tony McEvoy-trained filly was unlucky not to have won.

“She did a good job. The horses that went down with her weren’t good enough to go with her,” he said. “I could see the Godolphin horse on my outside was close, but if we had been together she would have won.”

Microphone ($2.45 fav) defeated Pretty Brazen ($4.80) by a nose, with Auxin ($5.50) three-quarters of a length behind.