Latest News

By Ray Hickson

Trainer John O’Shea is confident his patience with promising two-year-old Linebacker is going to pay off during the autumn carnival.

Trainer John O'Shea (Pic: Steve Hart)

The youngster was a dominant debut winner back in February and now the Golden Slipper has been run and won he’s ready to unleash the colt again in Saturday’s Group 3 $250,000 Hyland Race Colours Baillieu (1400m) at Rosehill.

O’Shea said there was never any rush with the son of Super Seth given he wasn’t going to be a Slipper contender.

“He’s just a nice horse that needs 1400m to a mile,’’ O’Shea said.

“He got himself organised and started early enough in the season, he trialled during Magic Millions week so he was up and about then.

“It‘s been a matter of us ducking and weaving and trying to place him to advantage.

“I didn’t feel the need to go beating up against those top class Slipper horses and hopefully we’ll be rewarded later on in the season when he’s got plenty of juice left in the tank and they don’t.”

Linebacker, $1.90 with TAB on Thursday, is already second favourite behind Storm Boy for next month’s Group 1 Champagne Stakes (1600m) at Randwick.

The colt was able to cruise across from an outside gate and lead all the way in his Hawkesbury debut on February 21 but from barrier one it’ll be a different scenario and that gate is the only, small, query the trainer has.

“There’s been good form around him so we’re optimistic he can be competitive stepping up in grade on Saturday,’’ he said.

“I would have preferred to draw a little out, he’s a big striding horse and I think he’s a little bit better with a bit of room.

“Especially with his racing pattern where he comes across and likes to get into a rhythm.”

A wide barrier pleased O’Shea when it came to Athabascan’s prospects in the Group 1 $1.5m Kia Tancred Stakes (2400m) as it means he’ll be able to be ridden to his strengths.

The import sat handy in the Sky High Stakes second-up two weeks ago but wasn’t as effective when he battled on seven lengths behind Lindermann over 2000m.

“I think we were too aggressive on him, because of his position in the market we wanted to give him the chance to be in the finish,’’ O’Shea said.

“He’s a genuine mile and a half horse so we’re hoping he can acquit himself well. We thought we’ve been riding him a bit close and now we get the chance to find his feet and particularly from that gate.

“He gets to his right trip, he’s third-up and we’re really happen with him.”

Athabascan has 50.5kg in the Sydney Cup.

O’Shea is curious to see what the rejuvenated Zou Tiger can produce first-up in the Group 3 $250,000 EGroup Security Star Kingdom Stakes (1200m).

Linebacker wins a Rosehill trial on March 18

The dual Group 1 placegetter as a three-year-old posted his first win in 18 months when successful back in January in the Carrington Stakes and O’Shea said he appears in a good place.

Zou Tiger warmed up for a return splitting Overpass and Shinzo in a barrier trial on March 18.

“We gave him a nice chance to get through his surgery and get into a rhythm and he got the job done, and he got it done really well I must admit,’’ O’Shea said.

“We’ll get through Saturday and see what he does. He’s never been effective under 1300m so he’s probably a little compromised but I’m happy with where he’s at.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday's Rosehill meeting