The 2025 Randwick Guineas witnessed a significant upset as Linebacker, trained by John O’Shea & Tom Charlton, denied odds-on favourite Broadsiding another Group 1 victory.

2025 Linebacker winning the Randwick Guineas over Broadsiding. Photo: © 2025 – Bradley Photos.

Linebacker ($9) delivered a stunning performance, securing a half-length victory under a brilliant ride from Zac Lloyd.

“Yeah, it’s like it’s been well rewarded today,” co-trainer Tom Charlton told Sky Thoroughbred Central post-win.

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

“I thought he paraded beautifully before he didn’t get as warm at the gates.

“He just was probably, you know, the true showing today back to the mile.

“He’s always been a very talented horse, and you know, just last run I just was convinced it wasn’t his true running, and he just got in a better position today and it worked out well.”

Broadsiding, trained by James Cummings for Godolphin, was heavily favoured after a first-up win in the Gorup 2 Hobartville Stakes, but Linebacker proved too strong in the rematch over the Randwick mile.

It was Linebacker’s second victory over Broadsiding, having previously defeated him in a Group 3 race at Rosehill last year.

However, Broadsiding had since gained the upper hand, defeating Linebacker in multiple races, including the Hobartville.

“It was the progressive three-year-old’s second time beating James Cummings‘ star colt to the winning post after he won a Group 3 at Rosehill last March in which Broadsiding ran third,”a racing analyst from Races.com.au noted.

“Since then, however, Broadsiding held the advantage with Linebacker second to him in the Group 1 Champagne Stakes, sixth in the Group 1 Golden Rose, and sixth again last time out in the Hobartville beaten 3.29 lengths.

“He showed great improvement third-up and fit back up to 1600m however with the Kiwi-bred Randwick Guineas champ returning to winning form in style.”

Linebacker, ridden by the in-form Lloyd, settled second before taking the lead 300m from the finish.

He then held off a late challenge from Broadsiding to secure the victory.

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

“Well, 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.

“He got to me at about the 200m, and I thought oh it’s a bit sooner than I would have liked, but when he got to about a neck, my bloke held him quite comfortably the last hundred.

“It was a very good effort, and I’m super pleased for both John and Tom.”

Swiftfalcon ($5), trained by Team Hawkes, finished third, completing the trifecta.

Linebacker is now expected to target the Group 1 $750,000 Rosehill Guineas (2000m) on March 22.

The Autumn Sun (2019) is the last horse to complete the Randwick Guineas / Rosehill Guineas double.

The all-in 2025 Rosehill Guineas odds at Ladbrokes on Linebacker to be the next are around $6 at time of publish.

2025 Randwick Guineas Results 

Table Credit: Racing Australia.

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