Charlton Using Scone To Get Group 1 Winner Back In Line

NZ Racing Desk

14 May 2026 — 6 min read

Linebacker lines up in the Listed $200,000 Darley Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) at Scone. Photo: bradleyphotos.com.au

The strength of the Group 1 form around classy galloper Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) tells trainer Tom Charlton he can show at Scone on Saturday that he’s on target for a return to that level.

A Group 1 winner himself, Linebacker hasn’t contested a race below Group 3 level (if you include the Golden Eagle) since his debut win and with 59kg Charlton said the Listed $200,000 Darley Luskin Star Stakes (1300m) is a nice springboard.

It’s no surprise that the Stradbroke is on the four-year-old’s agenda and from that perspective Charlton said he needs to be in the finish.

“He’d want to be running very well, his form suggests he should run well and the way he’s going he’s not horrendously treated at the weights,’’ Charlton said.

“We’d expect a good solid performance from him and if he can get the job done that’s great.

“We felt coming off the Doncaster that the Stradbroke was a realistic aim for him. I feel like his autumn preparation was better than it looked.”

Linebacker, $3 with TAB on Thursday, won the Silver Eagle over 1300m in the spring off a six week break and it’s a similar gap between the Luskin Star and his last start sixth in the Doncaster Mile.

Regular rider Zac Lloyd took the gelding for a spin to win a barrier trial two weeks ago and Charlton said while he’s finished around midfield or better in his last four starts they’re hardly failures.

And he won't know himself with the likes of Autumn Glow (The Autumn Sun), Joliestar (Zoustar), Sheza Alibi (Saxon Warrior), Autumn Boy (The Autumn Sun) and company all absent from this assignment.

“His run in the Canterbury Stakes was a big run and that form worked out well,’’ he said.

“In the George Ryder he probably needed it a touch in a strongly run race but when you look back at the horses he finished around it’s not bad form, take out the dominant winner.

“In the Doncaster he presented at the top of the straight before the horses suited by the pattern of the race came into it.

“We know he can freshen up and be effective back to six and a half furlongs and this is a race he can hopefully start his Stradbroke campaign in.” - NZ Racing Desk

Oaks Contender for Pencarrow Stud

Chispa has booked ticket to Queensland Photo: Bradleyphotos.com.au

The Pencarrow Stud colours of Sir Peter Vela have been carried by some outstanding fillies over the years including ‘Cups Queen’ Ethereal, whose rise to stardom started with a win in the Group I Queensland Oaks in 2001.

The Queensland Oaks is the target race for the latest Pencarrow Stud bred and raced winner in Chispa (NZ) (Savabeel), who scored a dominant victory at the Randwick meeting on Wednesday for the Chris Waller stable.

The Savabeel filly only started racing this year with a debut second and then a maiden win at Kembla in February followed by a short break.

Third up from a spell and stepping out to 1800m with James McDonald to ride, Chispa started favourite and relished the longer trip, surging right away at the finish to win by nearly three lengths.

“She jumped well, got into a reasonable position, then got shuffled back a little bit, so she needed to be good to sort of round them up and finish off, and she sustained it well, so it was good to see all those little factors,” said Chris Waller.

“She'll join up with some of better fillies now in Queensland. She's well-bred and it's good to win in the Vela colours, for Sir Peter Vela and his family as they are very close to James and have been big supporters of him. So hopefully, we can just continue the story a little bit further.

“It’s a long way from the Kensington track to the Oaks, but we’ve had it in our sights for a long time, so she's peaking at the right time, which means a lot.”

James McDonald has ridden Chispa in each of her three starts this preparation and believes she has the class to make an impact in stakes company.

“She probably would have almost won the Gold Coast Bracelet (Listed, run last Saturday) , if she ran in it,” he said.

“She’s been unlucky, just been getting too far back and having no luck on Rosehill tracks where the rail was out eight metres.

“She's been building towards today. She's got a beautiful pedigree, and she'll stay all day.

“She will relish the 2200m come Oaks time and hopefully she gets there, because she deserves her chance.”

Chispa is a full sister to stakes-winner Waikato Girl (NZ) (Savabeel) and Group II placed Butter Chicken (NZ) (Savabeel) being the fifth winner f rom six foals to race from imported Group III winning Galileo mare Scintillula, who was placed at Group I level and ran fourth in the Group I Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks. - NZ RACING DESK