Linton Efficient Lloyd Williams

Herald Sun
13/2/10

THE comparisons between yesterday's Alister Clark Stakes winner Linton and 2007 Melbourne Cup winner Efficient are inevitable.

Just as his famous stablemate Efficient signalled his rise to stardom by coming from last to win the 2006 Group 2 AAMI Vase at Moonee Valley, Linton looped the field to win the $200,000 Alister Clark Stakes (1600m).

Efficient, by Zabeel, won the AAMI Vase at his fifth start and Linton, by another noted staying sire in Galileo, graduated to Group class at only his third start in the manner of a rising star.

Rodd was clearly excited to be back in the Williams team.

"I spoke to Lloyd on Thursday, he said just give him a similar ride to Efficient in the Vase," Rodd said.

"You never like to go off too early, but you saw what he did at his third start in a race, he was able to come and treat them with contempt."

Backed from $4 to $3.80 favourite, Linton raced away in the straight to defeat Take The Rap ($14) by 1 3/4 lengths.

"Pretty much from the 600m onward I didn't think I was going to get beat," Rodd said.

"When he got to the straight he went whoa and had a very good look around. When he learns how to track up and come up on the bridle and then let down he's going to be pretty good."

Future plans are on hold. The gelding is not nominated for the Group 1 Cadbury Guineas on March 6, but Williams can get Linton into the field by paying a $41,250 late entry fee by March 1.

Williams's son, Nick, was quick to laud Linton as an emerging star but stopped short of rating him in Efficient's league.

"He's done a good job, you can't take anything away from the horse," Williams Jr said.

"But Efficient's won a AAMI Vase, Turnbull, Melbourne Cup and a (Victoria) Derby, this bloke's won a Group 2 in the autumn, so I think it's a long way off having any comparison."

He said the main comparison with Efficient was Linton's immaturity.

" I remember saying about Efficient all through his three-year-old, we're going to have to take him home and let him tell us. We've obviously got a Group horse of the future if we look after him.

"The staff think he's something special. We bought him at a ready-to-run sale in New Zealand."

Williams said Linton was a brother to Heimoro who was highly rated in Hong Kong before fracturing a leg.

Trainer Rob Hickmott, who replaced John Sadler as head trainer for Williams late last spring, was quick to credit his staff for Linton's development.

David Hayes will put blinkers back on Extra Zero who drifted from $3.30 to $5 and ran a disappointing fifth.

"I'm sure he's a blinker horse. I took them off for the Derby, but he needs them back on," Hayes said.