All Roads Lead to the Stradbroke for Yellow Brick

Mark Smith - Saturday June 8

A race-to-race double for Tony and Maddysen Sears as the stable star Yellow Brick staked a claim for the $3,000,000 Stradbroke Handicap on June 15, following his win in Saturday’s Listed Nuturf Spear Chief Hcp (1500m) at Eagle Farm.

A red-letter day for Tony and Maddysen Sears and J-Mac (image Racing Queensland/Michael McInally)

Ridden by James McDonald, the 4-year-old son of The Mission came with a sweeping run to hit the front soon after straightening. On tired legs in the closing stages, Yellow Brick defeated the Capitalist gelding Wategos by a (long) half-length, with the Fastnet Rock gelding Coastwatch the same distance back in third.

Advertisement

The Group III Gold Coast Guineas winner, Yellow Brick, advances his record to seven wins, five seconds, and a third from 15 starts with earnings of $1,528,850.

“I’m a bit emotional. Things didn’t go according to plan when he went to Sydney, and he’s hit wet track after wet track ever since,”  Maddysen Sears said.

So, to see him do that today was pretty special. He probably got to the front a little bit quicker than J-Mac would have liked, but he rode him like the best horse in the race, which is what he is. Our intention is to go to the Stradbroke, but we’ll just see how he is over the next 24 to 48 hours. Hopefully, this win gets him in, but it’s just great to see him back.

It’s very exciting to think we might have a live chance in Queensland’s biggest race. He would get 51 kilos on his back, so he wouldn’t know himself. But we’ll see how he goes over the next few days, and if he doesn’t get a run to the Straddie he’ll go to the Tatts Mile, which is a pretty good back-up option. He always pulls up well, he’ll go to the farm for a bit of a rest and he’ll bounce back into the stables but we’ve never backed him up before, so that’s the query. But whatever happens, we have a Stakes double to celebrate today.”

 

James McDonald has little doubt Yellow Brick would make his presence felt in the Stradbroke.

“I think he’d be a serious chance with 51 kilos on his back. He’s a very strong galloper and the pace and pressure would suit him,” McDonald said.

“The beauty is that you can position him anywhere. If they went hard up front, he’d be a very strong finisher for sure.

“He’s a beautiful horse. If I’d ridden him before, I probably would’ve better understood him and ridden him differently because he surprised me with how quickly he went when I asked him to. He was a sitting duck out front, but they couldn’t catch him, so the performance was outstanding.”

Tony Sears Racing/Paul Moroney Bloodstock shelled out $20,000 for Yellow Brick from the Waylon J Stud draft at the 2021 Magic Millions Gold Coast National Yearling Sale.

Yellow Brick a $20,000 Magic Millions yearling

 He is the third stakes-winner and fourth winner overall from as many runners for the High Chaparral (IRE) mare Magical Mist, following Group III Rough Habit Plate winner Ballistic Boy (Smart Missile) and Group III Premier’s Cup winner Splendiferous (Pride Of Dubai).

Purchased for $60,000 by Twin Hills Stud/G1 Goldmine at the 2020 National Broodmare Sale, Magical Mist was a $775,000 buy for Yulong at the 2023 National Broodmare Sale, carrying a Maurice (JPN) colt.

Alabama Express covered Magical Mist in December.

Yellow Brick is the lone stakes winner for Aquis Stud’s Group 1 winning Choisir stallion The Mission, which stands for $4,400 in 2024. 

Advertisment

Race Result - Nuturf Spear Chief Hcp LR 1500m

Eagle Farm Track: Good(4) Time: 1:29.36
1
Yellow Brick
- 4g The Mission (AUS) x Magical Mist (NZ) (High Chaparral (IRE))
Tnr: Tony & Maddysen Sears Rdr: J B Mc Donald 59.5
2
0.7
Wategos
- 5g Capitalist (AUS) x Happy Hippy (AUS) (Shamardal (USA))
Tnr: Bjorn Baker Rdr: James Orman 56
3
1.1
Coastwatch
- 5g Fastnet Rock (AUS) x Bullion Mansion (AUS) (Encosta De Lago (AUS))
Tnr: Richard & Will Freedman Rdr: N Rawiller 57.5
Fastnet Rock
4
3
Mississippi Prince
- 5g Foxwedge (AUS) x Urban Legend (AUS) (New Approach (IRE))
Tnr: Brent Gray Rdr: S T Collett 53
5
3.3
Irish Songs
- 8g Shamus Award (AUS) x Lucky Songs (NZ) (Johar (USA))
Tnr: Louise White Rdr: A Mallyon 57.5
6
3.7
Kalino
- 5g Pierro (AUS) x Lanikai (AUS) (I Am Invincible (AUS))
Tnr: C J Waller Rdr: Tommy Berry 57.5
7
10.4
Devastate
- 4g Vadamos (FR) x Passion Cut (NZ) (Pins (AUS))
Tnr: Andrew Forsman Rdr: Kyle Wilson-Taylor 54
8
10.5
Namazu
- 6g Medaglia D'oro (USA) x Earthquake (AUS) (Exceed And Excel (AUS))
Tnr: Ricky Vale Rdr: Ron Stewart 59.5
9
33.9
Surf Dancer
- 7g Lope De Vega (IRE) x Beach Belle (GB) (Invincible Spirit (IRE))
Tnr: G Waterhouse & A Bott Rdr: A Hyeronimus 60
More Reading...
Commemorative Retired to Stud
Watching the progress of Godolphin horses as they start stepping our for their new trainers has been interesting to say the least and will get more so this weekend when we see Tom Kitten go around in the Group I MRC Memsie Stakes at Caulfield, but one horse we won’t be seeing again is Commemorative.
Idyllic Prince Stakes - Phanta Leads a Sweet Trifecta for Gingerbread Man
Yarradale Stud's senior stallion Gingerbread Man achieved a rare career high for any sire when the son of Shamardal provided the trifecta in Saturday's Listed Idyllic Prince Stakes over 1300m at Belmont Park.
Narrow Miss for Hellbent Gelding in G2 Foxbridge
Lhasa proved he is more than a synthetic track specialist when he nearly caused an upset when finishing runner-up in Saturday’s Gr.2 Foxbridge Plate (1200m) at Te Rapa.
First Stakes Success For Cafe Millenium
While having just turned 5, former Sydneysider Cafe Millenium (Not A Single Doubt), who now calls Lindsay Park home, broke through for his first black type victory on Saturday, winning the Listed SAJC Leon Macdonald Stakes (1400m) at Morphettville in impressive fashion.
Sires With Winners - Sunday August 24
Here is the full list of 67 stallions which had winners throughout Australasia today with winners and result details.
Spring Trial Watch – Hawkesbury
There was an interesting set of trials at Hawkesbury on Monday that featured heat winners including Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, Randwick Guineas winner Linebacker as well as the Waterhouse Bott stable Cups contenders Sir Delius (GB) and Vauban (FR), plus we may have seen an Everest horse.
First Southern Hemisphere foals for Paddington
A four-time Group I winner by champion French sire Siyouni, European superstar, PADDINGTON, has had his first Southern Hemisphere foals arrive on the ground at Windsor Park.
Inglis Ready2Race Sale Now Online
The strongest collection of sire power ever assembled for an Australian 2YO Sale will be offered at the Inglis Ready2Race Sale, for which the catalogue is now available online.
Merchant Navy 3YO Primed for Spring Stakes Campaign
Cody Cole is happy to play a waiting game with Landlock before confirming the three-year-old’s main goals for the season.
Top Filly Beats Top Colt in G1 Prix Morny
The Group I Prix Morny (1200m) at Deauville overnight produced a mightly clash between unbeaten Starspangled banner colt Gstaad and unbeaten filly Venetian Sun with the filly prevailing, although Starspangledbanner got some consolation with a new G3 winning 2YO at Goodwood.