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By Ray Hickson

Zac Lloyd has some unfinished business with the Golden Eagle and he’s bullish about Linebacker being the horse that can finish it for him.

Zac Lloyd with Linebacker's co-trainer Tom Charlton (Pic: Bradley Photos).

It’s still fresh in Lloyd’s memory just how unlucky he was on Stefi Magnetica in the race last year and he’s not only in search of redemption personally but some international recognition given the race’s ever-increasing standing abroad.

Saturday’s $10 million Golden Eagle (1500m) at Randwick can’t come fast enough for the 22-year-old who says he wouldn’t swap Linebacker for any horse in the race.

“I’m after a bit of revenge. We were a bit stiff last year,’’ Lloyd said.

“I’m confident he can go well. I’m very excited for the weekend, he’s a top class horse. You don’t get much better than him.

“He’s won a Group 1 but he’s not regarded in the same heights as some other horses so hopefully he can win and prove that he is one of the top horses in Australia.

“For me the Golden Eagle would be a great race to win, it has international appeal and to win would be a great achievement.”

Linebacker, $6 with TAB on Monday, will be the two-time Sydney champion apprentice's third Golden Eagle ride - he ran third on Golden Mile ($41) in 2023 while of course last year the unlucky Stefi Magnetica ($11) ran fifth.

Life hasn’t been smooth for Linebacker but Lloyd said it’s a testament to John O’Shea and Tom Charlton’s team that they’ve been able to ride through the rough times and have the gelding right at his top for the Golden Eagle.

Cast the mind back. Linebacker started his spring in 2024 as one of the most promising three-year-olds around on the back of giving Broadsiding a contest in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes.

That spring realised just two starts as his coltish ways got the better of him. They were there for all to see and he was gelded.

A Group 1 Randwick Guineas triumph over Broadsiding in the autumn was just reward for all concerned and then luck deserted Lloyd in the Doncaster Mile, ironically won by Stefi Magnetica.

This spring didn’t go to plan initially as a setback forced him to miss an Epsom Handicap assault but as far as Lloyd is concerned his runaway Silver Eagle (1300m) win two weeks ago is just a taste of what he can do.

“John and Tom have him going really well, his work has been sensational, and I’m very excited to see what he can do in the Golden Eagle because his win the other day was spectacular,’’ he said.

“It might not have been the strongest field and he’ll have to beat a lot classier horses on Saturday but he can’t do much more than he did.

“He jumped from the wide barrier, he sat three deep the trip, and what I liked the most was how sharp he was.

“He ran home in mid-33 (seconds) which is pretty darn quick and he was still with plenty of improvement in fitness to come. He was nowhere near screwed down.”

Interestingly, Lloyd will take little interest in what barrier Linebacker comes up with at Tuesday’s draw for the Golden Eagle.

And the young gun jockey is far from intimidated by unbeaten Eagle favourite Autumn Glow.

“I’m not too fazed where we draw,’’ he said.

Linebacker wins the Silver Eagle

“It’s one of the few barrier draws I’ve been involved in with a big race where I don’t really care.

“In the Doncaster it all went wrong because we drew right in the middle and he jumped ordinary and got crossed immediately which set him back.

“A barrier for him isn’t the biggest deal, he likes to roll forward and can absorb pressure and as we saw the other day he can come off a slow tempo.”

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