Linebacker (NZ) Completes NZB’s Guineas Double

Within the space of a week, Karaka graduates sired by Super Seth have won both the A$1m Group One Australian Guineas (1600m) and the A$1m Group One Randwick Guineas (1600m).

Seven days after Feroce (NZ) triumphed at Flemington, Linebacker (NZ) followed suit with a brilliant victory at Randwick on Saturday.

Linebacker was a $160,000 purchase from Book 1 of Karaka 2023. He has now had eight starts for three wins, two placings and A$1.01m in stakes.

Linebacker became Super Seth’s first Australian winner and first stakes winner as a two-year-old last season, romping home by four lengths on debut at Hawkesbury last February and adding the Group Three Baillieu Handicap (1400m) at his second start.

He went on to finish second in the Group One Champagne Stakes (1600m), then returned as a three-year-old with a fourth in the Group Two Run To The Rose (1200m), sixth in the Group One Golden Rose (1400m), second in the Group Two Eskimo Prince Stakes (1200m) and sixth in the Group Two Hobartville Stakes (1400m).

Trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton and jockey Zac Lloyd brought the very best out of Linebacker in Saturday’s Randwick Guineas. After jumping sharply and initially finding himself in front, Lloyd eased back and slotted Linebacker into second as Tenbury Wells (Fastnet Rock) opened up a big lead.

Linebacker swept past Tenbury Wells at the top of the straight and dashed clear. He found more when challenged by the hot favourite Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot), holding him out to win by half a length.

“It panned out perfectly,” Lloyd said. “I just wanted to work with Linebacker, not against him. He broke well and he had a nice bunny in Tenbury Wells. His asset is his big long stride, and he sustained his gallop nicely.

“My pre-race strategy was to get Broadsiding uncomfortable, because I feel Linebacker is a superior miler, and if we left it to a sit and sprint, he’s probably sharper than him.

“He got to me at about the 200 metres, and I thought it was a bit sooner than I would have liked, but when he got to about a neck, my bloke held him quite comfortably the last 100 metres. It was a very good effort and I’m super pleased for both John and Tom.”

Linebacker became the first Group One winner for the O’Shea/Charlton partnership.

“I know the tally of crossbar hits we’ve had in Group Ones over the last few years, so it’s great,” Charlton said.

“This horse has pleased us all the way since we gelded him. You could see a long way out that he was in a really good rhythm today. They were going at a high speed, but he looked comfortable.

“He's always been a very talented horse. Last run, I just was convinced it wasn't his true running. He just got in a better position today and it worked out well.”

Vendor	Haunui Farm
Purchaser	John O’Shea Racing/Suman Hedge Bloodstock (FBAA) (New South Wales)
Breeding	Super Seth – Garden Of Swans
Sale	Lot 207, Karaka 2023 Book 1, $160,000
Bred by	GSA Bloodstock Pty Ltd