More than a week has passed since the Stradbroke Handicap, but the sense of what might have been still lingers for Tony and Maddysen Sears after their star galloper Yellow Brick delivered a gutsy second-place finish that filled their stable with pride.
While Tony Sears admits he’s still processing the result, attention is now turning towards a new goal—Group 1 glory in Sydney’s spring carnival, with a tilt at the Epsom Handicap firmly in their sights.
Yellow Brick is currently enjoying a short two-week break before preparations begin for a first-up run in the Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) at Randwick on August 23, with trials planned leading into that return.
The five-year-old raced prominently in the BRC Sprint (1350m) on May 24 and finished out of the placings, but a more patient ride paid dividends in the Stradbroke, where he stormed home from off the pace to finish just under a length behind winner War Machine.
“We own him so we don’t have to race him much,” Tony said.
“We put the work into him at home and we know what we need to do to have him ready.
“He’s a strong horse and he came through the Stradbroke well.”
Yellow Brick posted a Racing and Sports rating of 119 for his Stradbroke run, just one pound shy of War Machine’s 120. That figure compares favourably to the average rating of 117 required to win the Epsom Handicap over the past seven years.
Private Eye, who finished behind Yellow Brick in third in this year’s Stradbroke, previously placed in the same race in 2021 before going on to claim Epsom success later that year, offering further inspiration for the Sears stable.
In early betting for the Epsom Handicap, Yellow Brick is quoted at $51, while the Chris Waller-trained Autumn Glow leads the market at $3.50.
A $20,000 purchase from the 2021 Gold Coast National Yearling Sale, Yellow Brick has proven to be an exceptional bargain, earning nearly $2.2 million from eight wins and nine placings in 22 career starts.
If you’re considering backing Yellow Brick for the upcoming Epsom Handicap, check out Australia’s top betting sites—featuring the most searched online bookies and betting platforms for horse racing fans nationwide.