Yellow Brick on Doncaster path after Magic Millions

By Glenn Davis

It’s been 14 months since one of the state’s star sprinters - Yellow Brick - was last successful but that doesn’t concern the father-and-daughter training partnership of Tony and Maddysen Sears.

Yellow Brick - a James McDonald mount - will be out to break the drought when the gelding returns in the $1.5 million Magic Millions QTIS Open at the Gold Coast on Saturday.

His last win was in the Listed Members Cup at Eagle Farm in October of 2024 but since then he’s been racing mostly at the highest level and has banked almost $900,000 in prizemoney to take his tally to $2.56 million.

A win in the Magic Millions QTIS Open will see him smash the $3 million prizemoney barrier.

'Team Sears' believes Yellow Brick is close to his top for his first start since finishing eighth, just over three lengths, from the Joseph Pride-trained Ceolwulf in the $5 million Group 1 King Charles III Stakes at Randwick in October last year.

Co-trainer Maddysen Sears is confident of a strong performance from Yellow Brick.

“He’s had three barrier trials and he’s got a lot of residual fitness since his Sydney campaign,” Maddysen said.

“He ran the fastest last 600 metres in the King Charles.

“We’re not concerned he hasn’t won for a while as he’s been racing in Group 1 company most of the time.”

Maddysen also has dismissed Yellow Brick’s lack of success on the tight turning Gold Coast track.

Yellow Brick has started three times at the Gold Coast without winning but he was an unlucky second behind Fashion Legend in the Magic Millions Guineas in 2023.

“He should have won the Magic Millions Guineas but he missed the start and flew home,” she said.

Maddysen has been training seven years in her partnership with her father and the pair now has 46 horses in work at the Gold Coast after relocating from Toowoomba.

'Team Sears' has pencilled in another ambitious program for Yellow Brick, who finished second in last year’s Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap at Eagle Farm.

“I think he’s got a great chance this week as there doesn’t look to be a lot of depth in the field,” Maddysen said.

“After this he’ll back up in the Magic Millions Cup next week then he’ll have two weeks off before he heads to Sydney for the Doncaster.”

The $4 million Group 1 Doncaster Handicap over 1600 metres will be run at Randwick in April.