The Lloyd Williams-owned Linton took out the first Group race on the Caulfield Guineas Day card today, claiming victory in the $200,000 Group 2 Herbert Power Stakes (2400m) over a classy field of stayers.

A lightly-raced Galileo grey, Linton was our top tip to win the Herbert Power Stakes and punters that took our advice were well rewarded as [sportsbet] paid $4.60 for the result.

Bart Cummings’ Precedence shortened into the odds-on favourite moments before the race, however the Zabeel gelding over-raced early up along the rails.

Sterling Prince and Apprehend set a relatively slow pace sitting at the front of the field, then on the home straight Linton began to ease up on the outside.

It was a clever ride by jockey Nick Hall, who always knew where Precedence was in relation to his mount at all times.

On the line it was Linton who grinded home beating Cedarberg, the $31 outsider a dour and genuine stayer who was gallant in defeat, with Precedence in third.

Linton was the standout in the mounting yard pre-race with a glossy coat and looking very relaxed, which proved the winning sign today.

It was a disappointing finish for the other early favourite Moudre, who ran a gallant fourth but now looks an uncertainty to make the Caulfield Cup field Saturday week.

Posted wide and held back, Moudre just couldn’t make up the ground on the home turn.

Linton, showing great improvement following his last start third to Precedence in the JRA Cup at Moonee Valley, has now won three of his seven career starts, today being his first run over 2400m.

Entered for the Caulfield Cup, Linton will instead be saved and give the $2.5 million feature a miss in favour of a possible tilt in the 2010 Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday November 2.

The next race to jump at Caulfield today is Race 4 the Group 2 Schillaci Stakes (1000m) jumping at 2:00pm (AEDST).

The hot favourite to win the Schillaci is unbeaten mare Black Caviar paying $1.70.

For the best odds and betting options on all the races today, make sure you take three minutes to sign up with [sportsbet]!

2010 Herbert Power Stakes Results

Finish	No.	Horse	Jockey	Trainer	Weight	Margin
1st	5	LINTON(3)	Nicholas Hall	Robert Hickmott	54.5	2-29.43
2nd	9	CEDARBERG(4)	Chris Symons	Pat Carey	53.0	0.5L
3rd	2	PRECEDENCE(1)	Blake Shinn	Bart Cummings	56.5	0.9L
4th	3	MOUDRE(9)	Craig Williams	Ciaron Maher	55.5	3.9L
5th	7	PERSIAN STAR(10)	Glen Boss	Robert Smerdon	53.5	6.2L
6th	8	RIGHT FONG(2)	Michelle Payne	David Balfour	53.5	8.9L
7th	10	JEUNEYS END(8)	Darren Gauci	Allan Fitzgerald	53.0	11.4L
8th	6	APPREHEND(7)	Craig Newitt	Tony Vasil	54.0	11.5L
9th	4	STERLING PRINCE(6)	Michael Walker	Wayne Hillis	55.5	12.5L
10th	1	DOCTOR FREMANTLE(5)	Damien Oliver	Lee Freedman	58.0	22.5L