A ten-month plan to have talented Queenslander Yellow Brick at his prime for next month’s $10m James Squire Golden Eagle goes on the line when he makes his Sydney debut at Randwick on Saturday.
Co-trainer Maddy Sears , who prepares with her father Tony, said the plan was hatched to target Yellow Brick at the four-year-old feature back in January and it's a case of so far so good ahead of the $1 million Silver Eagle (1300m).
The gelding is yet to miss a placing in 11 starts, for six wins, and was $3.60 favourite with TAB on Wednesday.
"We had this in mind a fair while ago, it was in our sights around Magic Millions time,'' Sears said.
"He's only four once and it's a race that's within his depths and we think his ability. That's why he only had those three runs in the Winter Carnival and we put him away to make sure he had a big enough break leading into the Sydney trip.
"We think he's good enough to run top three but racing is a funny sport and anything can happen.
"It would secure his spot in the Golden Eagle even though he shouldn't have any problem getting into the race with his rating."
Yellow Brick is an $11 chance in the Eagle in TAB's all-in market with WA star Amelia's Jewel heading the betting at $3.50.
Sears said his form around subsequent TAB Epsom winner Rediener and TAB Everest runner Hawaii Five Oh from the winter carnival suggests he can measure up.
He chased both horses home last preparation, beaten under a length by Hawaii Five Oh in the Group 3 Fred Best (1400m) then running Rediener to about a long neck in the Group 3 Gunsynd (1600m).
"His form is well and truly franked with what they've gone on and done,'' Sears said.
"It cemented the opinion we have of the horse, he took a lot of ground off those two horses in those races.
"We believe he's well and truly good enough to be down here so it's very exciting."
Given Yellow Brick has drawn ideally in barrier five, Sears doesn't expect a repeat of his attempt to lead all the way first-up when narrowly beaten in the Listed Weetwood Handicap (1200m) at Toowoomba three weeks ago.
In that race he drew wide and was left with no option but to go forward, and worked to find that spot, only to be nailed in the last stride by All That Pizzazz. He gave weight to the entire field but comes back to set weights and penalties against his own age.
"He floats when he's in front like that,'' Sears said.
"In all his work he's always got something to follow, that's when you see his best. He took lengths off Rediener and Hawaii Five Oh when they were in front of him.
"I think if the winner had have got to him a little bit sooner (in the Weetwood) he probably kicks back and still wins."
Yellow Brick is a special horse to the Sears family, he's owned by Maddy and her mother along with a family friend and she's loving the ride the horse is taking them on.
She said she can only expect her charge, who has been based at Rosehill since last week, to give 100 per cent in the Silver Eagle.
"He's had a couple of nice gallops here and his work has been fantastic, we couldn't have the horse any better,'' she said.
"I believe we haven't seen the best of him yet, there's a bit of untapped potential in there. Every time he's come back in he's taken natural improvement through maturity so I do believe the best is yet to come."
The first three placegetters from the Silver Eagle are exempt from ballot for the James Squire Golden Eagle (1500m) run at Rosehill on November 4.
