All roads led to Rockhampton on Tuesday for the rescheduled $1million The Archer (1300m), but the only road that mattered at the end of the day was race favourite Yellow Brick, who scored a popular victory with leading Sydney jockey Tommy Berry in the saddle.
Trained by Tonny and Maddy Sears, six year-old gelding Yellow Brick was tuned right up with two recent trials under his belt and when he produces his A game is a formidable horse that has won a string of stakes races and the Group III Sunshine Coast Guineas at three.
Give a good ride by Tommy Berry, Yellow Brick surged to the line over the final furlong to win by a length running away.
It was the second time this year Yellow Brick has captured a million dollar with James McDonald riding him to victory in the $1.5m QTIS race during the Gold Coast Magic Millions carnival in January and he assured Berry the horse was worth the trip to Rocky.
Second in last year's Group I Stradbroke to War Machine at 40-1, Yellow Brick showed he is on track for another crack at the Stradbroke.
"Thanks to James McDonald, he is the one who got me up here," Berry said.
"I will try to keep this ride and he can ride something else now, that would be nice.
"It was a good effort by the Sears team to get this horse up for this race, twice, and he was worth coming back for the second time.
"He is a big horse and takes a bit of winding up, it was a good effort today as he was first-up."
The best performer for Choisir stallion The Mission, Yellow Brick has the overall record of 10 wins and nine placings from 29 starts with just shy of $4million prizemoney.
A modest $20,000 Magic Millions Yearling Sale purchaser for Tony Sears Racing/Paul Moroney Bloodstock from the draft of Waylon J Stud, he is the ultimate saleyard gift!
Yellow Brick is a half-brother to Group winners Ballistic Boy and Splendiferous and is the best of five winners from six to race from four time winning High Chaparral (IRE) mare Magical Mist.
Magical Mist was bought by Yulong from the 2023 MM National Broodmare Sale for $775,000 and they sold an Alabama Express yearling filly from her at Inglis Easter this year for $220,000 to Gollan Racing Stables / James Bester Bloodstock / Mitchell Bloodstock.
