A first-up performance from Linton rated "clearly better" than his Stradbroke Handicap win has buoyed the confidence of trainer John Sadler ahead of Saturday's Toorak Handicap.

The Group One Toorak (1600m) wasn't in the plans for Linton but the grey gelding has been doing so well that Sadler has added the feature handicap to his spring program.

And he expects him to prove hard to beat.

"He's drawn a good alley and it's a race that he's certainly got a good chance in, so we'll have a crack at it," Sadler said.

Linton is equal second favourite at $6.50 in an open market behind last year's winner Solzhenitsyn who was third in the Group One Sir Rupert Clarke last start.

Linton produced a rails-hugging finish to win the Stradbroke Handicap in Brisbane in June and resumed with a pleasing fifth in the Rupert Clarke Stakes (1400m) two weeks ago after sitting three wide.

"It was clearly his best run since we've had him," Sadler said of his Rupert Clarke showing.

"For his style and his pattern of racing he raced completely the reverse way. To still be only beaten a length I thought was an outstanding effort.

"He was three deep facing the breeze and challenging on the turn, that's not the way Linton races.

"It was clearly better than his Stradbroke run."

After the Toorak, the plan is still to go to the Crystal Mile (1600m) at Moonee Valley before the Group One Emirates Stakes (1600m) at Flemington and then the Hong Kong Mile (1600m).

"It would be exciting (going to Hong Kong) if he's in really good form heading into it," Sadler said.

"He's had one of those runs so far and he's proven he's in really good form.

"You would just want to be going there knowing you were going to be very competitive. Then you'd be excited."