Breakthrough Group winner for Super Seth

Talented colt Linebacker has delivered a first black type victory for his sire Super Seth with a
determined victory in the G3 Bailleu S. at Rosehill on Saturday afternoon.

The John O’Shea-trained juvenile provided Waikato Stud with a healthy early return on the major investment they made to secure his Group 1-winning stallion son of Dundeel.

Linebacker had made a successful midweek debut in February and, with the benefit of a subsequent trial, stripped in prime order today with his performance confirming a next-up Group 1 assignment.

“He’s a real horse and he’ll run a mile and a mile and a-quarter further down the track,” O’Shea said.

“It was a big challenge to come out of a maiden at Hawkesbury and I’m happy to see him make the transition.

“He’ll go to the Champagne Stakes (G1, 1600m) and he’ll derive plenty of benefit from this run.”

Linebacker jumped from the inside gate to lob along in second spot and fought tooth and nail under Tommy Berry in the run home to get the better of the more experienced dual stakes placegetter Anode in a driving finish.

“I’ve got a lot of admiration for this horse and he’s got so much more under the bonnet,” Berry said.

“He’s gone from a maiden on a soft track to a firm deck, he’s got a big stride and knows he’s a winner.”

Super Seth has sired four individual winners from his first crop, including multiple stakes placegetter Poetic Champion.

Linebacker was bred by Jonathan Munz’s GSA Bloodstock and is out of the unraced Oasis Dream mare Garden Of Swans.

He was purchased by O’Shea and Suman Hedge for A$160,000 at New Zealand Bloodstock’s National Yearling Sale, and O’Shea also teamed up with James Bester to buy the younger brother for A$80,000 at this year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.

Their dam Garden Of Swans is a half-sister to the G1 Sandown Eclipse Stakes winner and
sire Mukhadram with Kirklees and Mastery also top-flight winners on the pedigree page.