Left with more questions than answers after the Gr.2 Hobartville Stakes (1400m), Linebacker‘s (NZ) (Super Seth) trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton are focusing on the three-year-old’s pleasing work at home as the best guide to his Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m) prospects.
Following a solid first-up performance in the Gr.3 Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m), Linebacker turned in a head-scratching effort in the Hobartville when he drifted back in the field and never seriously threatened, finishing sixth and more than three lengths from winner Broadsiding.
Tom Charlton admits the stable has ben unsure what to make of the run but cannot fault the horse at home.
“It was hard to get a good guide on him from where he got to in the run, and he never really had a chance to get balanced and build up his revs,” Charlton said.
“But we’re confident he is going well enough to run very well. Whether it’s good enough to beat Broadsiding is probably a separate conversation.
“His work at home is very good. His SP (starting price) profile the other day was very good so it seemed like a few people were expecting to see a more improved run as much as we were.”
Linebacker led in the Eskimo Prince and Charlton said they had anticipated him stalking the speed last start.
While still to analyse the race makeup for Saturday’s Randwick Guineas (1600m), he expects Linebacker to assume a more positive position.
“I haven’t had a good look at the map but that’s our intention,” Charlton said.
“We definitely wouldn’t want to ride him in such a negative way.”
In-form jockey Zac Lloyd has been booked for his first race ride on Linebacker, whose only other start over the Guineas course and distance yielded a Group One second to nemesis Broadsiding in the Gr.1 Champagne Stakes (1600m).
As is the case with many of his rivals, Saturday’s feature is a fork in the road and will determine whether Linebacker is stretched out in distance to a Rosehill Guineas (2000m) or targeted towards a race like the Doncaster Mile (1600m).
