Toowoomba tornado Yellow Brick moved to within touching distance of a spot in the Stradbroke Handicap next week after James McDonald helped to break a run of outs at Eagle Farm on Saturday.
The father and daughter training combination of Tony and Maddysen Sears will be nervously waiting to see what Racing Queensland handicappers do with their gelding, who was sitting 24th on the order of entry before Saturday’s win, with 18 to run in the $3m feature.
Yellow Brick is eligible to be moved up the Stradbroke ballot order, however he cannot be re-handicapped for the win, with a quirky prizemoney rule potentially putting him behind the likes of Freedom Rally.
After as much as $101 was offered for the Stradbroke in early markets, Yellow Brick shortened from $26 during the week to $17 after Saturday’s win.
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“Our intention is to go to the Stradbroke, but we’ll just see how he is over the next 24 to 48 hours,” Maddysen Sears said.
“Hopefully this win gets him in, but it’s just great to see him back.
“It’s very exciting to think we might have a live chance in Queensland’s biggest race.
“He would get 51 kilos on his back, so he wouldn’t know himself.
“But we’ll see how he goes over the next few days, and if he doesn’t get a run to the Straddie he’ll go to the Tatts Mile, which is a pretty good back-up option.”
Last year’s Spear Chief winner Munhamek missed out on a run in the Stradbroke, with the handicapper only able to move him to a 101 rating.
It marked a stakes-winning double in the space of 40 minutes for the Sears’, who also won the Listed Lightning Handicap with Steady Ready.
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McDonald was a man in form after returning from his Japanese Group 1 performance last week, riding three of the first five winners on the Eagle Farm card.
“I think he’d be a serious (Stradbroke) chance with 51 kilos on his back,” McDonald said of Yellow Brick.
“He’s a very strong galloper and the pace and pressure would suit him. The beauty is that you can position him anywhere. If they went hard up front, he’d be a very strong finisher for sure.”