Linebacker ready to play ball in Alan Brown Stakes
His claim to fame might arguably be a shock barrier trial win over champion sprinter Ka Ying Rising (NZ) (Shamexpress), but Linebacker (NZ) (Super Seth) looks to have found the right set-up to put himself back in the race day winner's stall at Rosehill.
The gelding has had early support from $11 into $6 for Saturday's Gr.3 Alan Brown Stakes (1400m) at Rosehill where he will be chasing his first success since last year's Silver Eagle (1300m).
He won that race off a similar build-up – and after surprisingly relegating Ka Ying Rising to third in a 1000m hit-out at Randwick 11 days earlier.
He will again come into Saturday's race exactly 11 days following another strong trial performance, and while the five-year-old hasn't won for almost a year, he has been competitive in some deep form races.
"His first-up run last time in the Canterbury Stakes, he got beaten a length-and-a-half in what turned out to be a good form race. As was the George Ryder (Stakes)," co-trainer Tom Charlton said.
"He gets in with 55-1/2 (kilos), so he's well weighted against some of those top performers on his best form.
"And his run the other day, he couldn't have done any more. It was a sit and sprint. I think he was the only horse to break 33 (seconds) home, and he can't go much quicker than that."
Linebacker will be second-up at Rosehill following a fourth to fellow Alan Brown Stakes contender General Salute (Russian Revolution) in the Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m).
He is a stakes winner over Saturday's course and distance, and triumphed at the highest level as a three-year-old when he downed Broadsiding (Too Darn Hot) in the 2025 Gr.1 Randwick Guineas (1600m).
While the Alan Brown has only been elevated to black-type status for the first time this year, it has attracted a strong field with Linebacker one of five Group One winners in the A$1.5 million feature.
"It's an incredible field and if it was a Group One, you wouldn't be saying that's wrong," Charlton said.
"It's a very hot race but if he can get a few things go his way, it wouldn't surprise us (if he won)."
Zac Lloyd has the ride on Linebacker, who comes into barrier eight following three early scratchings.
Bred by GSA Bloodstock, Linebacker was purchased out of Haunui Farm’s draft at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale for $160,000 by O’Shea and Suman Hedge Bloodstock.
He is a son of the English-bred Oasis Dream mare Garden Of Swans, who is a half-sister to the Gr.1 Sandown Eclipse Stakes (2000m) winner and sire Mukhadram.
