Headline Queensland galloper Yellow Brick set to have first Group 1 shot in Stradbroke Handicap

Queenslander Yellow Brick has never been tried at Group 1 level but that is likely to change this year in Queensland’s most prestigious race, the Stradbroke Handicap.

Yellow Brick is bound for the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap during the Queensland winter carnival. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography.

One of Queensland’s marquee horses – exciting talent Yellow Brick – is set to get his first shot at a Group 1 race.

Father and daughter training team Tony and Maddy Sears have circled the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap during the Queensland winter carnival as the bumper 2025 target race for Yellow Brick.

Yellow Brick, with almost $2m in prizemoney in the bank, has been on the periphery of a start in Queensland’s most prestigious race before.

But with a current rating of 107, it would be hard to see the now five-year-old gelding miss the field if he was performing well enough to be deployed in the Stradbroke.

Yellow Brick has long been one of Queensland’s most exciting horses but has never before got a crack at a Group 1.

“I don’t think we will have any problem getting him into a Stradbroke this year,” Maddy Sears said.

“We are looking at a campaign for him that has him going from the BRC Sprint into the Stradbroke.

“The Straddy makes sense for him, it is a great 1400m race but often you need a miler to win it.

“We all know how good he is over that distance and how lethal he can be second-up.”

Trainers Tony and Maddy Sears (far left and second from left) after one of Yellow Brick’s wins. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Yellow Brick ran third in the $2m Five Diamonds at Rosehill last November, not beaten far, before starting as one of the fancies in a rich sprint on Gold Coast Magic Millions day.

But he didn’t fire – finishing fifth – although the Sears’ team insist there was clear excuses.

“The weight (61kg) just got to him and he also got pulling too hard during the race,” Sears said.

• Sunrays shines at Doomben for proud owner

“He was going to get into a good position but then when the pace slowed down in front of him, Jason (Collett) had to pop out with no cover.

“Then the horse just overdid it, it would have been a different story if he had got cover.”

The $2 Million Five Diamonds belongs to Pericles! 💎@KPMcEvoy | @JamesCummings88 | @godolphinpic.twitter.com/7RDDz3v0hf

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) November 9, 2024

Meanwhile, the Sears’ training team has another exciting prospect for the 2025 Queensland winter carnival.

Emerging three-year-old colt Beau Dazzler looks an exciting prospect for the Group 1 Queensland Derby after putting two wins in a row on the board in December, including the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes at Eagle Farm.

“Beau Dazzler comes back into the stable next week and all will be starting to ramp up towards the winter carnival,” Sears said.

“He will take the traditional path towards the Derby and race in the Queensland Guineas and the Rough Habit Plate.”

Beau Dazzler underlines his 2025 Group 1 Queensland Derby potential by scoring the Group 3 Grand Prix Stakes at Eagle Farm. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

The trainers also have sharp sprinter Steady Ready locked and loaded for the $750,000 King Of The Mountain slot race in Toowoomba in March.

Originally published as Headline Queensland galloper Yellow Brick set to have first Group 1 shot in Stradbroke Handicap