Gear Change Is Linton’s Ticket To Stradbroke Glory

Linton will look to continue his promising start to 2013 with a win in this weekend’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.

With a $1 million prize cheque reserved for the winner, Linton’s had the race on his radar for some time.

Linton

Linton will look to win this Saturday's Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm. Photo by Jenny Barnes.

Trainer John Sadler acknowledges that winning Saturday’s Stradbroke Handicap will be no easy fete, however, has a great deal of faith in the rising seven-year-old.

Sadler will rely on a gear change to make the winning difference, having equipped Linton with blinkers to sharpen him up for the 1,400 metre trip.

“He’s coming back to the 1400 metres which is a shorter trip for him,” Sadler said.

“He’s probably going better now than what he was before his two wins this time in, but we still need to pull a rabbit out of the hat to be able to win a Stradbroke with him.

“So along with some schooling and putting the blinkers on, we’re hoping that that might do the trick.”

Linton won the Listed Holdfast Insurance Handicap two starts back at Adelaide’s Morphettville Racecourse, before winning the Group 3 RA Lee Stakes at the same track last run.

Having run and won over 1,600 metres last start, Sadler is hoping the combination of the shorter distance and the blinkers will give Linton his winning chance in the Stradbroke.

“He’s been set for this race all preparation,” Sadler said.

“He ran over 1400 metres and then a mile and now he’s back to 1400 with a four-week break, which is ideal for him.”

Linton has won six of his 23 race starts and has earned more than $1.05 million in prize money during his horse racing career.

The Galileo gelding has run in a Melbourne Cup and won a number of Group races, however, has never before saluted in a Group 1 event.

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