Back to Back in Mornington Cup Prelude for Defibrillate

Media Release - Saturday February 26

Smart Kiwi stayer Defibrillate was back in winning form when successful in the Listed Mornington Cup Prelude (2000m) at Caulfield on Saturday for trainer Patrick Payne.

Defibrillate wins the Mornington Cup Prelude - image Grant Courtney

The son of Shocking, who sports the colours of his original trainer Graham Richardson, lumped topweight of 60kgs to score an impressive win in the hands of Billy Egan.

It was the second year in a row the seven-year-old gelding had won the Mornington Cup Prelude and his fourth win from six starts at Caulfield, advancing his overall record to 10 wins from 23 starts and A$680,000 in prizemoney.

Advertisement

Defibrillate travelled beautifully throughout back near the rear of the field under a patient Egan ride and after angling into the clear on the corner packed too many punches for the well-supported favourite Desert Icon to score by 1¼ lengths, with Criminal Code back in third.

“The race just unfolded perfectly for me and I just had to be patient and keep him balanced and just get him through there smoothly,” Egan said.

“He’s probably going quite similarly to last year, he just went down a different path over the spring trying to get him out over a few Cup distances, 2400 (metres), but we probably found out he’s a nice 2000-metre horse and we just had to get him back to his natural best distance.”

With that in mind, a potential target for Defibrillate could be another tilt at the Gr.1 Australian Cup (2000m) at Flemington next month, a race in which he finished sixth last year, beaten just 1.7 lengths.

Defibrillate was sent to the Plumpton stable of Patrick Payne in 2019 after winning two of his three starts for Richardson in New Zealand.

Richardson is part of a large syndicate of owners, including close friends Lance O’Sullivan and Brendon McCullum.

The Matamata trainer bred Defibrillate, a son of Rich Hill Stud stallion Shocking and Groom Dancer mare Our Chickaroonie with Graeme and Linda McInteer. He is a half-brother to the stakes winning Bertolini mare Italian Princess, whom Richardson also trained.

There are ten yearlings by Shocking in the forthcoming New Zealand Bloodstock National Yearling Sales, which commence at Karaka on March 7. – NZ Racing Desk

Advertisment

Race Result - Neds Mornington Cup Prelude LR 2000m

Caulfield Track: Good(3) Time: 2:02.66
1
Defibrillate
- 7g Shocking (AUS) x Our Chickaroonie (NZ) (Groom Dancer (USA))
Tnr: Patrick Payne Rdr: W Egan 60
NZB Karaka Book 2 $15,000
Seller: Rich Hill Stud
Buyer: Eales Racing
2
1.3
Desert Icon
- 6g Sea The Stars (IRE) x Plume Rose (GB) (Marchand De Sable (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Damien Thornton 55.5
3
1.7
Criminal Code
- 5g Maschino (AUS) x Pale (AUS) (Ad Valorem (USA))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: B Prebble 54.5
4
2.4
Ziegfeld
- 5g New Approach (IRE) x Maid To Dream (GB) (Oasis Dream (GB))
Tnr: James Cummings Rdr: D Oliver 58.5
5
3.6
Port Guillaume
- 5g Le Havre (IRE) x Keira (FR) (Turtle Bowl (IRE))
Tnr: Ben & J D Hayes Rdr: L Nolen 59
6
3.8
Wyclif
- 5h Archipenko (USA) x Altruiste (GB) (Montjeu (IRE))
Tnr: D T O'Brien Rdr: Damian Lane 54
7
7.1
English King
- 5g Camelot (GB) x Platonic (GB) (Zafonic (USA))
Tnr: M D Moroney Rdr: Jye McNeil 54.5
8
19.1
Dirty Deeds
- 5g Dundeel (NZ) x Purple Vein (AUS) (Fastnet Rock (AUS))
Tnr: Simon Zahra Rdr: M J Dee 54
More Reading...
Cambridge Stud Sires Fire Up
Cambridge Stud was in the thick of the action at Matamata with a hat-trick of winners and also made an impression further afield.
Juvenile Trial Watch - Three States
Some interesting two-year-old trials around Australia on Monday with a couple of first season sires showing up, a high priced Horses In Training graduate and a pointer to one selling at Magic Millions Perth this week.
Sires With Winners - Thursday February 13
Here is the full list of 40 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Closer Look at Written Tycoon
Our story on Thursday highlighting the impressive maiden win of Written Tycoon filly Written Scandal sparked plenty of interest given she comes from the so called ‘golden crop’ conceived at Arrowfield Stud by her now Yulong based champion sire, so we thought it might be interesting to go back and take a closer look at how his career has unfolded.
Sires With Winners - Sunday February 16
Here is the full list of 63 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
El Vencedor Invited to Hong Kong
In-form gelding El Vencedor will get his chance to test his talent in one of the most competitive racing jurisdictions in the world when he heads to Hong Kong in April to contest the Gr.1 FWD QEII Cup (2000m) at Sha Tin.
Daily Roundup For Monday February 17
A quick overview of today's results covering maiden winners, first season sire placegetters, second season sire winners and highest priced winners.
Mogumber Park Playing for Luck at MM Perth
Just a couple of days out from the 2025 Perth Magic Millions Yearling Sale, Mogumber Park’s Colin Brown would probably tell you he’s feeling ‘lucky’.
Sires With Winners - Saturday February 15
Here is the full list of 99 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Well Travelled Nicconi County Back in Winning Groove
Former Hong Kong galloper Nicconi County saluted for the first time since arriving on Kiwi soil at Matamata on Saturday.