Latest news with #YellowBrick
The Australian
an hour 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.'
Herald Sun
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Herald Sun
Yellow Brick goes agonisingly close to fairytale upset in Stradbroke Handicap
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. 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. Racenet iQ members get full access to our Pro Tips service, where Greg and our team of professional punters provide daily tips with fully transparent return on investment statistics. SUBSCRIBE NOW and start punting like a pro! 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.' Originally published as Yellow Brick goes agonisingly close to fairytale upset in Stradbroke Handicap
News.com.au
6 hours ago
- 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
a day ago
- 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.
