Patrick Payne will consider raising the stakes for Defibrillate after he recorded his fourth successive win in the Mornington Cup Prelude.
Defibrillate took the front early in the straight and proved too strong for his rivals to take out the 2000 metre opening event at Caulfield.
Payne said Defibrillate was nominated for the Group One Australian Cup at Flemington on March 6 but he would examine the strength of the race before committing to a start.
“With horses like Arcadia Queen and others not going to that race, it might be an opportunity,” Payne said.
“I’m also mindful of not racing him too far outside of his handicap. I’ll need to see where his rating goes after this.”
Payne said he would have liked to see Defibrillate win with more authority if he was going to try to emulate the effort of his sire Shocking by claiming an Australian Cup.
He suggested the Mornington Cup might be a better option.
Defibrillate ($2.45 fav) held off a determined challenge from San Huberto ($31) to score by a long neck with Hang Man ($6.50) another 1-1/4 lengths away third.
A race later Oxley Road made it two wins from two starts when successful in the Group Three Zeditave Stakes over 1200 metres and trainer Peter Moody said he was only doing it on raw ability.
“He still doesn’t quite know what to do. He’s a very good colt,” Moody said.
Oxley Road, a brother to Group One-winning sprinter Exceedance, has led throughout in both of his wins and Moody says he has got a bit lost both times.
However, when allowed to sit off the speed in a trial, Moody said Oxley Road had displayed a turn of foot indicative of a weight-for-age galloper.
Oxley Road ($2.50 fav) defeated It’sourtime ($3.40) by 1-3/4 lengths with Valaquenta ($5) the same distance away third.