Latest news with #MaddySears
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Automotive
- News.com.au
Stradbroke Handicap runner-up Yellow Brick will be set for another attempt at Epsom Handicap
A bout of travel sickness aborted Yellow Brick 's shot at the Group 1 Epsom Handicap last year, but it is full steam ahead this time for the plucky Stradbroke Handicap runner-up. The Queensland training team of Maddy Sears and her father Tony have circled the Epsom at Randwick in October as the goal for Yellow Brick in the remainder of 2025. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! An Epsom mission had been on the cards last year but plans changed when Yellow Brick spiked a temperature from travel sickness and had to be scratched from one of his lead-up runs. It totally altered the Sydney spring campaign for Yellow Brick who then targeted the $2m Five Diamonds in November where he finished a valiant third. Maddy Sears is convinced five-year-old Yellow Brick has never been going better and she was delighted when her opinion was franked when he turned in a huge run at $41 to finish Stradbroke runner-up behind War Machine last Saturday. After a short paddock break, it is onwards and upwards to a Sydney spring campaign which will culminate in the Epsom over the famous Randwick mile. War Machine WINS the G1 Stradbroke Handicap! ðŸ�† Tim Clark with a flawless performance in the saddle! — SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025 'He is so good over a mile and all the prominent form people we have spoken to say the Epsom would be an ideal race for him,' Maddy Sears said. 'He will have a couple of weeks off in a grassy paddock and then a couple of trials before we head to Sydney. 'He hasn't won an interstate race yet, but he has gone close, and we really want him to show what he can do on the big stage down south.' Yellow Brick finished three-quarters of a length off War Machine in the Stradbroke but on reflection, Maddy Sears believes he should have finished even closer. He not only suffered some interference from an incident that saw Rothfire's jockey Craig Williams suspended for 14 days, but he was also one of the few runners at Eagle Farm on Stradbroke day to make significant ground from near the back. 'He copped some interference and that probably put us a length or two back from where we really wanted to be in the run,' Sears said. 'But it really did feel like a win, Dad and I are part-owners of the horse and he owes us nothing. 'A lot of people knocked him from his prior run at Doomben, but he carried a big weight and he has never really loved Doomben. 'He seemed to get crucified on the back of one run and I thought his odds in the Stradbroke were ridiculous. 'He was the forgotten horse of the race for many people, but he certainly wasn't for us.' Yellow Brick earned $540,000 from his runner-up finish in the Stradbroke, taking his career prizemoney haul to almost $2.5m. Tony and Maddy Sears, who have moved from Toowoomba to the Gold Coast to train, are hunting their first Group 1 triumph and hope they can crack it in the Epsom.
The Australian
7 days ago
- Sport
- The Australian
Yellow Brick goes agonisingly close to fairytale upset in Stradbroke Handicap
Queensland hero Yellow Brick almost pulled one of the great fairytale upsets in recent Stradbroke Handicap history but the $41 roughie was narrowly outgunned by favourite War Machine in the $3m race at Eagle Farm on Saturday. It was a bittersweet moment for father-and-daughter trainers Tony and Maddy Sears, who were proud of Yellow Brick's incredible effort but the moment was tinged with some sadness given they came so close to jagging the $1.8m winner's cheque. But they will settle for $540,000 in prizemoney as the runner-up in Queensland's premier race run on a good track on a sunny day in Brisbane. • PUNT LIKE A PRO: Become a Racenet iQ member and get expert tips – with fully transparent return on investment statistics – from Racenet's team of professional punters at our Pro Tips section. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The Straddie is 1400m but if it was run over 1500m on Saturday, the Sears would be popping the champagne corks because Yellow Brick, with Andrew Mallyon on board, was starting to wear down War Machine ($2.65) approaching the winning post. Tony Sears said he was incredibly proud of Maddy, who had been training Yellow Brick at the pair's Gold Coast stables before he joined his daughter on the Glitter Strip just two weeks ago. • 'The boys have done it': Hayes proud of sons' landmark Stradbroke success 'I'm more proud of Maddysen than the horse,' he said. 'She's done a great job getting him ready. 'I've only been down the Gold Coast for two weeks. She's defied all the odds. People think he wasn't going very well but we knew he was going well. 'I backed him. We honestly thought he could win. He's just got to be ridden quiet like that. 'It was unbelievable, she's done a great job with him.' Maddy Sears said after the race she was 'speechless'. 'He was tremendous,' she said about Yellow Brick, who last won in a $160,000 Listed race over 1400m at Eagle Farm in October. 'That was the favourite (War Machine) in the race and he gave him a fair headstart at the top of the straight. 'He was the widest runner and he had to do things the hard way but I couldn't be any prouder.' This week Maddy Sears compared five-year-old gelding Yellow Brick to a Labrador Retriever because he 'loves to be the centre of attention'. And although the spoils of victory went to War Machine and Lindsay Park, Yellow Brick sure grabbed his share of attention. • What the jockeys said: 2025 Stradbroke Handicap Meanwhile, champion jockey Craig Williams said another Queensland hero, old warrior Rothfire, was 'gallant' in finishing seventh for trainer Rob Heathcote, who would have preferred a softer track. The seven-year-old Rothfire had battled a hoof injury for the past 10 days after suffering an untimely stone bruise and was lucky to even make the prestigious race. 'From the outside barrier draw he gave me a beautiful ride from there,' Williams said about the 2020 JJ Atkins champion. 'I got on the back of the eventual winner. He travelled so well but the winner was too good for us late. 'He just got a bit tired today and as Rob Heathcote said, he didn't have the ideal preparation.'
News.com.au
14-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Yellow Brick goes agonisingly close to fairytale upset in Stradbroke Handicap
Queensland hero Yellow Brick almost pulled one of the great fairytale upsets in recent Stradbroke Handicap history but the $41 roughie was narrowly outgunned by favourite War Machine in the $3m race at Eagle Farm on Saturday. It was a bittersweet moment for father-and-daughter trainers Tony and Maddy Sears, who were proud of Yellow Brick's incredible effort but the moment was tinged with some sadness given they came so close to jagging the $1.8m winner's cheque. But they will settle for $540,000 in prizemoney as the runner-up in Queensland's premier race run on a good track on a sunny day in Brisbane. The Straddie is 1400m but if it was run over 1500m on Saturday, the Sears would be popping the champagne corks because Yellow Brick, with Andrew Mallyon on board, was starting to wear down War Machine ($2.65) approaching the winning post. Tony Sears said he was incredibly proud of Maddy, who had been training Yellow Brick at the pair's Gold Coast stables before he joined his daughter on the Glitter Strip just two weeks ago. 'I'm more proud of Maddysen than the horse,' he said. 'She's done a great job getting him ready. 'I've only been down the Gold Coast for two weeks. She's defied all the odds. People think he wasn't going very well but we knew he was going well. 'I backed him. We honestly thought he could win. He's just got to be ridden quiet like that. 'It was unbelievable, she's done a great job with him.' Maddy Sears said after the race she was 'speechless'. 'He was tremendous,' she said about Yellow Brick, who last won in a $160,000 Listed race over 1400m at Eagle Farm in October. 'That was the favourite (War Machine) in the race and he gave him a fair headstart at the top of the straight. 'He was the widest runner and he had to do things the hard way but I couldn't be any prouder.' War Machine WINS the G1 Stradbroke Handicap! ðŸ�† Tim Clark with a flawless performance in the saddle! â€' SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 14, 2025 This week Maddy Sears compared five-year-old gelding Yellow Brick to a Labrador Retriever because he 'loves to be the centre of attention'. And although the spoils of victory went to War Machine and Lindsay Park, Yellow Brick sure grabbed his share of attention. Meanwhile, champion jockey Craig Williams said another Queensland hero, old warrior Rothfire, was 'gallant' in finishing seventh for trainer Rob Heathcote, who would have preferred a softer track. The seven-year-old Rothfire had battled a hoof injury for the past 10 days after suffering an untimely stone bruise and was lucky to even make the prestigious race. 'From the outside barrier draw he gave me a beautiful ride from there,' Williams said about the 2020 JJ Atkins champion. 'I got on the back of the eventual winner. He travelled so well but the winner was too good for us late. 'He just got a bit tired today and as Rob Heathcote said, he didn't have the ideal preparation.'
News.com.au
13-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Trainer Maddy Sears says Yellow Brick ‘well over the odds' for Stradbroke Handicap
Gold Coast trainer Maddy Sears compares her Stradbroke Handicap contender Yellow Brick to a cute and cuddly Labrador Retriever who loves attention. The five-year-old gelding is a $34 chance – 'well over the odds' according to Sears – for the Group 1 $3m Stradbroke (1400m) on Saturday at Eagle Farm. 'The best way to describe him is that he's kind of like a Labrador dog,' said Sears, who trains in partnership with her dad Tony. 'I do everything with him. He's really cruisy and he loves to be the centre of attention. 'He's a very easy horse to train and a real happy-go-lucky kind of horse.' Yellow Brick was the second emergency in last year's Stradbroke but failed to secure a start in a race won by Queensland jockey Zac Lloyd on $16 chance Stefi Magnetica. 'He's well and truly made the field this year and I think he's a better horse now,' Sears said about Yellow Brick. 'He's rock-solid fit and we couldn't be any happier with him. 'He had a good gallop on Tuesday which will put him in good stead for the weekend.' Brothers Ben, Will and JD Hayes train the $3 favourite War Machine in a wide-open hunt for the $1.8m prizemoney which goes to the winner of Queensland's premier race. 'I think it's a very open race and there are very different formlines that are going to come through, it's definitely an interesting race,' Sears said. The Sears paid just $20,000 for Yellow Brick in 2021 and with his prizemoney having cracked the $2m mark (including bonuses), the gelding has well and truly been a bargain buy. Local jockey Andrew Mallyon will ride Yellow Brick with a 53.5kg weight from barrier 8 in the Stradbroke on Saturday.
News.com.au
30-05-2025
- General
- News.com.au
One-time Queensland Derby fancy Beau Dazzler can rebound from second-up syndrome
Maddy Sears feels Queensland Derby contender Beau Dazzler may have fallen victim to 'second-up syndrome' last start, but says he will be back to his best for the big Group 1 dance on Saturday. Beau Dazzler has long been one of the main fancies for the Queensland Derby but his odds have now ballooned to $26 after being beaten more than five lengths in the traditional lead-up of the Rough Habit Plate (2000m). It was in stark contrast to how he returned in brilliant fashion when sizzling home for third over the unsuitable 1600m distance in the Queensland Guineas. 'We half expected him to run a bit like that second-up in the Rough Habit, a bit of second-up syndrome,' Sears, who trains with her dad Tony, said. 'He probably raced a bit fresh when he pinged the lids that day. 'He was also closer to the leaders in the run than what we anticipated. 'I don't think the 2400m of the Derby will be a problem for him at all. 'We want to come out quite neutral on him, we don't want him too handy and we want it to be a genuine tempo.' Maddy and dad Tony hail from Toowoomba but Maddy has been training on the Gold Coast for several months. The day after the Derby, Tony will move to the Gold Coast. They duo will still retain a stable in Toowoomba but the operation will be based out of the coast. It is an exciting new era for family training team and it will be even more exciting if they can kick it off with a maiden Group 1 triumph at Eagle Farm on Saturday. 'It doesn't get any better than that, a maiden Group 1,' Maddy Sears said. 'It would be the first one for me and the first one for Dad, it would be huge. 'It would also be (jockey) Jag's (Guthmann-Chester) first Group 1, so there would be quite some scenes. 'Dad and I work very well together and I am looking forward to Dad moving down to live on the Gold Coast.'
