Maddy Sears changes plan with Yellow Brick to avoid travel sickness for Five Diamonds Prelude

Yellow Brick is favourite for a rich race in Sydney this week and trainer Maddy Sears is leaving no stone unturned to ensure the Queensland star doesn’t suffer from travel sickness again.

Yellow Brick will head back to Sydney after a dominant win at Eagle Farm last start. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

After Yellow Brick was struck down by travel sickness the last time he ventured to Sydney, co-trainer Maddy Sears is taking no chances this time around.

Sears and her mum Leigh will personally float the Queensland star down by road later this week, rather than relying on horse transport companies where Yellow Brick would have to share the trip down with other horses.

Maddy Sears and her co-trainer, dad Tony, are leaving no stone unturned ahead of Yellow Brick’s mission in the $1m Five Diamonds Prelude (1500m) at Randwick on Saturday.

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In August, Yellow Brick had the start of a planned Sydney spring campaign aborted after he spiked a temperature and was found to have travel sickness on the eve of the Show County Quality at Randwick which was subsequently won by Joliestar.

After a brilliant win at Eagle Farm last start, Toowoomba galloper Yellow Brick is the $4.50 favourite in early betting for Saturday’s Five Diamonds Prelude.

“We will head down on Thursday night – we have done things differently this time,” Maddy Sears said.

“We are taking him down in our own car and float, just to eliminate any cross contamination of anything if possible.

“Mum (Leigh) and I are taking him down in our float ourselves.

“The last time he went down on (horse) transport from Toowoomba.

“But he went from our barn and then spent a few hours at the depot and then he was on a truck with seven or eight other horses.

“This time, we are just trying to take as many moving pieces as possible out of the play.”

Just follow him! Yellow Brick wins the Listed Tattersalls Members Cup at Eagle Farm 🧱@mallyon_andrew | @SearsMaddy | @BrisRacingClubpic.twitter.com/RluKmnyWNw

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) October 12, 2024

Prior to the travel sickness setback, it had been planned that Yellow Brick would have a crack at the Group 1 Epsom Handicap.

That plan was aborted and Yellow Brick instead ran on his home Toowoomba track in the Weetwood Handicap, where he ran a fast-finishing second, before putting paid to his opposition with a comprehensive win at Eagle Farm last start.

Group 1 rider Tim Clark has been booked to ride Yellow Brick in the Five Diamonds Prelude which is an appetiser before the $2m Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill on November 9.

“It is nice to see he is the early favourite for the Five Diamonds Prelude,” Maddy Sears said.

“It shows we are on the right path with him.

“The way that he won with so much dominance last start was just fantastic to see.”

Trainers Tony and Maddy Sears (far left and second from left) with Yellow Brick after his win last start. Picture: Grant Peters/Trackside Photography

Maddy and dad Tony currently train from Toowoomba but Maddy will soon be opening a stable on the Gold Coast where a selection of the team’s horses will be trained.

“The Gold Coast stable will be opened in early December,” Sears said.

“There will be horses that will come down to the Gold Coast which I solely ride at track work.

“And then there will be other horses which might suit the Gold Coast stable.”

Originally published as Maddy Sears changes plan with Yellow Brick to avoid travel sickness for Five Diamonds Prelude