Yellow Brick on the road towards Group 1 Epsom Handicap tilt

Queensland star Yellow Brick has been frustratingly denied two shots at Group 1 glory, but there are plans for him to get his Group 1 chance in Sydney this spring.

Queensland star Yellow Brick is on a Group 1 Epsom Handicap campaign this spring. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Frustratingly balloted out of the last two Group 1 Stradbroke Handicaps, Queensland star Yellow Brick is shooting for the stars of the Epsom Handicap in Sydney this spring carnival.

Left stranded as a Stradbroke emergency this year and last, the Tony and Maddysen Sears-trained Toowoomba galloper is yet to have a shot at a Group 1 race.

The training team is hoping that will come this spring in the $1.5 million Group 1 Epsom (1600m) at Randwick on October 5, with Yellow Brick a $26 chance in futures betting on the race.

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The first plank towards the Epsom will come at Randwick on Saturday when Yellow Brick resumes in the $250,000 Group 3 Show County Quality (1200m) with Tim Clark booked to ride.

It was a disaster last time Yellow Brick ventured to Sydney when he unexpectedly led and then faded badly when only beating one home in last year’s $1 million Silver Eagle when he had started as a $4.80 chance.

Just follow the yellow brick road!

Yellow Brick takes Listed Spear Chief Hcp at Eagle Farm and it’s a treble to @mcacajamez and a double to @MS_SearsRacing!@BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/3inp3HNPdQ

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) June 8, 2024

The father and daughter training team have changed several things around this campaign as they attempt to earn Yellow Brick a shot at the Epsom.

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“We are going down to Sydney, not necessarily for redemption, but for the horse to show his very best,” Maddysen Sears said.

“We have done things very differently this time.

“He will go down before all of his Sydney races on Thursday and then come home to Queensland on Sunday night.

“We are not leaving him down there.

“We don’t know if that played a bit of a part last time, but this time he will be travelling backwards and forwards.

“We will keep him in his own environment as much as possible.

“He hasn’t had a chance to win a Group 1 race yet, we keep getting balloted out of the Stradbroke.

“So hopefully the Epsom will be his chance.”

Maddy Sears says Yellow Brick won’t be staying in Sydney during his spring prep. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Five-year-old Yellow Brick is not at his brilliant best on rain-impacted racing surfaces but there is minimal rain forecast for Sydney this week.

Yellow Brick has won half of his six first-up starts, but Sears said there would be improvement to come for the rest of his bumper Sydney campaign which could even extend into the $2 million Five Diamonds in November.

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“This race on Saturday was always going to be the kick-off race for him, we have looked at what horses who have done well in the Epsom have typically done and that’s how we have shaped his program,” Sears said.

“All going well on Saturday, he comes home on Sunday night and then he will have either a trial or exhibition gallop and go into the Bill Ritchie Handicap.

“He has only got 57.5kg now on Saturday, we originally thought he would get 59.5kg, and surely the track will improve during the week.

“His work leading into it been faultless, but there is going to be room for improvement as we don’t want him peaking first-up.

“If things go well in the Epsom we do have the Five Diamonds on the radar, but whether we do that or give him a break and get him ready for the (Gold Coast) Magic Millions we will have to wait and see.”

Originally published as Yellow Brick on the road towards Group 1 Epsom Handicap tilt