Linebacker upsets odds-on Broadsiding to give trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton first partnership Group 1

Enigmatic galloper Linebacker had promised so much and finally delivered on the big stage with a gutsy win in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas at Randwick.

Linebacker (left) holds out odds-on favourite Broadsiding in the Group 1 Randwick Guineas to jockey Zac Lloyd’s (left) delight. Picture: Jeremy Ng/Getty Images

Linebacker, the one-time problem “child”, has always been a prodigious talent and finally he performed when it mattered most at Royal Randwick on Saturday.

The Group 1 $1m Randwick Guineas (1600m) proved an epic contest as Linebacker defied odds-on favourite Broadsiding in a thrilling finish.

John O’Shea has prepared 30 Group 1 winners during his career but in a magnanimous gesture, he pushed training partner Tom Charlton to centre stage.

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“It’s better for Tom to be doing this, it’s his first Group 1 win,” O’Shea said to the media.

“This is a special day for the whole team, a great group of owners are in this horse, and for Tom – he’s worked hard for this moment.”

O’Shea and Charlton formed their training partnership in July last year, winning with their very first runner, Bartolf, at Scone.

Only nine months later, they celebrated their first Group 1 winner together when Linebacker ($9) held hot favourite Broadsiding ($1.60) at bay to win by a half-length with Swiftfalcon ($5) running on for third, a neck away.

Charlton is the son of multiple Group 1-winning English trainer, Roger, and had been working for the O’Shea stable for nearly five years before forming their training partnerships.

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The enormity of Linebacker’s win was only just starting to sink in when Charlton was besieged by media post-race but he maintained his composure and answered every question with assuredness.

“This (Group 1 win) is something you strive for when you start doing this job,” Charlton said.

“It’s great to win this race because I know the tally of crossbar hits we’ve had in Group 1 races the last few years.

“My wife, Alana, doesn’t come racing very often and she was meant to be on babysitting duties for her sister today but it was cancelled.

“So, Alana was able to come to the races with me today and it was very special to have her on track with for this moment.”

Linebacker has WON the G1 Randwick Guineas for @JohnOSheaRacing! 🏆@ZacLloydx with a flawless performance to land Linebacker his first G1! pic.twitter.com/NnkGgo7cEr

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) March 8, 2025

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O’Shea and Charlton had a simple game plan for star young jockey Zac Lloyd – make the Guineas a test of speed and stamina.

“We wanted to make it a true test because I thought they were all second-up from a spell but Linebacker was third-up,” said O’Shea, who won his first major since Lion’s Roar won the 2021 Randwick Guineas.

Tenbury Wells set a very solid tempo up front with Linebacker getting into his slipstream while Broadsiding was cruising along immediately behind them in third position.

Linebacker then took control of the race over the rise with Broadsiding in hot pursuit but try as he might, the favourite couldn’t reel in his rival.

“My pre-race strategy was to get both Broadsiding and Swiftfalcon uncomfortable because I feel Linebacker is a superior miler, and if we left it to a sit and sprint, they’re probably sharper than him,” said Lloyd who won on Broadsiding in the Hobartville Stakes last start.

“It was obviously a big privilege to ride Broadsiding last start, but Linebacker today, it’s not a bad exchange and the race panned out perfectly.

"I'm very privileged to ride a horse like this today."

🗣️ @ZacLloydx after his Group 1 winning ride on Linebacker in the Randwick Guineas. pic.twitter.com/pZbF8NhalD

— 7HorseRacing 🐎 (@7horseracing) March 8, 2025

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“I just wanted to work with Linebacker, not against him today. He broke well, he had a nice bunny in Tenbury Wells, and his best asset is his big long stride, and he sustained his gallop to the line.”

Linebacker ran the Randwick 1600m in a very fast 1min 33.64sec which was only just outside the race record set by former stablemate Lion’s Roar of 1min 33.39sec four years ago.

It was a reward for the patience and perseverance of the Linebacker team as the three-year-old has always been a racehorse loaded with natural talent.

Linebacker was good enough to run a close second to Broadsiding in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes last year but became too “coltish” during the spring, meaning connections had to make the difficult decision to geld the horse.

“As a gelding he has just pleased us all the way,” Charlton revealed.

“Today, you could see a long way out, he was in a really good rhythm today, they were going at a high speed, but he looked comfortable.”

O’Shea said Linebacker won’t race again before the Group 1 $4m Doncaster Mile (1600m) at Royal Randwick on April 5.

“We will go straight to the Doncaster – he’s only got 49kg,” O’Shea said.

When asked if he could make Linebacker’s lightweight of 49kg, Lloyd replied with conviction: “Absolutely I will!”

Originally published as Linebacker upsets odds-on Broadsiding to give trainers John O’Shea and Tom Charlton first partnership Group 1