Australia: Linton rallies to upset Stradbroke Handicap

Linton, a 7-year-old gray gelding, rallied on the rail through the final quarter-mile to win Saturday’s $1,292,000 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm Racecourse in Australia.

Ridden by Nicholas Hall, Linton (25-1) passed most of the field of 18 in the stretch to win the Group 1 race over seven furlongs by three-quarters of a length over Buffering, an 11-2 shot. Streama, a 10-1 shot, finished a head behind Buffering. Your Song, the 4-1 favorite, was 14th.

Linton, who is by Galileo, won his first Group 1 race in the Stradbroke, the richest race in Brisbane. Trained by John D. Sadler of Australia, Linton has won four group stakes in Australia. He was 21st in the 2010 Melbourne Cup.

Also at Eagle Farm on Saturday, Hawkspur completed a sweep of the Queensland Triple Crown with a victory in the $475,000 Queensland Derby over 1 1/2 miles.

Ridden by 50-year-old Jim Cassidy, Hawkspur, a gelding by Purrealist, won the Group 1 Queensland Derby by 2 3/4 lengths over 16-1 Electric Fusion.

Hawkspur, a 3-1 co-favorite in the Queensland Derby, won two Group 3 races in May as part of the Queensland Triple Crown – the Rough Habit Plate and Grand Prix Stakes. The Queensland Derby was his first Group 1 win.

Romantic Touch, the 5-2 favorite, won the Group 1 J.J. Atkins Stakes for Southern Hemisphere 2-year-olds over a mile. Ridden by Nash Rawiller for trainer Gai Waterhouse, Romantic Touch finished a half-length in front of Zoustar, winner of the Group Sires Produce Stakes on May 25.

The first two finishers are by Northern Meteor.