Generation Next: 'My calling is training' - Maddysen Sears on embracing her racing destiny

Cover image supplied

Growing up, Maddysen Sears was surrounded by horses and her family’s successful racing business - it seemed only natural that the training lifestyle would come calling eventually, and so far she has partnered with her father Tony for five seasons of sensational racing.

The earliest memories of Maddysen Sears are dominated by horses: “Mum put me on a pony before anything else - I got a pony for my second birthday, and I was riding her on my own by the time I was two-and-a-half.”

Gallery: Maddysen Sears got a pony for her second birthday, and was riding on her own by the time she was two-and-a-half, images supplied

Growing up time was spent “on a horse’s back more often than not”, it seems natural that the daughter of jockey-turned-trainer Tony Sears would end up in the racing world, but it wasn’t that straightforward for Sears. While she would come and strap at the races as a teenager when needed, Sears initially was more invested in the show ring.

“I’ve been very lucky, I’ve competed at EKKA (Royal Queensland Show) my whole life from when I was three, in the first lead line class,” Sears told TTR AusNZ. She even rode and competed on her first off the track thoroughbred there at 12 years old. “He was one of Dad’s horses, he was the first thoroughbred I had off the track.”

Sears travelled the show circuit for most of her childhood, competing and winning at many Royal Shows across the country. As she got older, she also branched out into showjumping, jumping around 1.30m Young Rider championship tracks before her re-entry into racing.

Gallery: Maddysen Sears competing at the Royal Queensland Show, images supplied

After finishing highschool, Sears moved out of home and was initially hired by Newscorp, working in their advertising department. Two years in, however, she hit a wall.

“I was in a bad place mentally,” Sears recalled. “I was sitting at a desk going a bit crazy, and asked mum and dad if I could come work at the stables until I figured out what I wanted to do - it’s the best decision I’ve ever made!”

Foundations for success

In early 2019, Sears returned to the family stables at Toowoomba’s Clifford Park Racecourse. She swiftly took control of the team’s second barn, where most of their young horses had their early preparations.

“We were having a bit of trouble with how (the second barn) was being run, so Dad put me in charge,” said Sears. “He gave me two race fillies to have a bit of a play around with.”

Those two fillies were Exondabeach (Tycoon Ruler), who beat eventual Group 3 winner Wandabaa (Wandjina) and Listed winner Jagged Edge (Better Than Ready) at Eagle Farm in her second start and Special Thing (Sebring), who posted her first victory in 11 starts under Sears’s guidance.

“Dad left me to my own devices, and Special Thing won the first start I gave her,” Sears said. “She was sixth or seventh emergency at Gatton, we didn’t think she would get a run but she did. Exondabeach won her first start too on the Sunshine Coast, that was a special day.

“Those two foundation horses really gave me the bug for racing and wanting to be a trainer.”

Special Thing collected a further two wins, including a midweek metropolitan at Doomben, before retiring to stud. Tragically, she succumbed to a snake bite in December of last year - but she left behind one foal, 3-year-old Keep It Loki (Headwater), who blazed home to win his first trial just a few days ago.

“It’s very sentimental being able to train the only foal we got from her,” Sears said. “Hopefully he can go on and win some races for me.”

The family business

At the beginning of the 2019/2020 racing season, father and daughter cemented their training partnership. Since then, they have been regulars in the winners circle - highlights include Red Wave (Red Dazzler), half brother to Exondabeach, taking out this year’s Listed Ipswich Cup, and “pin up horse” Yellow Brick (The Mission), rising from bargain yearling buy to winning the King Of The Mountain and the G3 Gold Coast Guineas.

“Dad and I can’t take any credit for getting (Yellow Brick),” said Sears. “Paul (Moroney) rang us and said, ‘You have to buy this horse, we love him. You’ll probably have to spend 80 or 90 grand’.” Fortunately for the Sears’ pockets, Yellow Brick’s x-ray report brought him down to a $20,000 price-tag. To date, the horse has earned over $1.5 million in prizemoney including bonuses.

Sears had some insight to share into Yellow Brick’s spring plans; “We’ve got a few spring options, he heads to either the Epsom or the Five Diamonds, then we’ll get him ready for Magic Millions Day.” All going well, Yellow Brick will attempt to retake his crown in Toowoomba’s showcase sprint.

The family’s close relationship with bloodstock agents Paul Moroney and Catheryne Bruggeman has been a fruitful one, being the source in recent years for horses like juvenile Listed winner Beau Dazzler (NZ) (Ardrossan) and metropolitan winner The Gambling Greek (Russian Revolution).

“Since we joined forces with Paul and Catheryne, our stable has improved a lot,” said Sears, who has represented the stable solo at all major sales for the last two years. “I send our shortlist horses to Dad, and nine out of 10 times we agree, we like the same type of horses. We are very much about quality over quantity.”

Elite care

Both trainers are “incredibly hands-on”, present at the stables morning and afternoon to take care of their stock, which includes 28 juveniles this season and plans to open a satellite stable outside of Toowoomba.

Sears also rides trackwork most days, with Listed Lightning H. winner Steady Ready (Better Than Ready) being a favourite regular mount.

“If the trackwork riders feel something is off, it definitely makes a difference that I can jump on and have a feel,” she said.

“I see myself as dad’s apprentice,” Sears was humble about the father daughter relationship. “He does leave me to my own devices, but we bounce off each other really well. We’re a great team. He’s got his ideas, and I’ve got mine, and nine times out of 10, we can meet in the middle.

“I’ve modernised a few things, you’ve got to keep with the times,” added Sears, who is a fan of the E-Trakka technology. “We’ve picked up a lot of things off of them (E-Trakkas) that you wouldn’t have otherwise picked up. It makes a world of difference; they’ve been a crucial part of pivoting our business in the right direction.”

Critically for Sears, she has been able to spot the early warning signs in three horses with serious conditions and intervene before issues arise on the track.

“I sent the data to the University of Gatton, and then send the horses down to the treadmill,” she said. “You would have thought they were just having a good blow after a gallop, but they all had major heart problems. It’s phenomenal what you can pick up by paying attention to their recovery.

“You're dealing with elite athletes. People pay for them to have the utmost care, so it's very important that they get the care they need and deserve.”

Changes of scenery

Another change that Sears has championed is flatwork and jumping as part of the racehorses’ regular routine.

“Lots of stables down in Melbourne and Sydney do it,” Sears said. “Gai (Waterhouse) is my idol, and she jumps her horses a lot. I’ve read her book, and she says it keeps them fresh. It breaks the cycle a bit.”

Sears hasn’t forgotten her roots in showing either and uses the Royal Queensland Show to give the racehorses another change of scenery.

“Every year we take down a couple of racehorses to support the show,” said Sears. This year, her show team included Goldeel (Dundeel {NZ}), a winner of six races who was awarded reserve champion Thoroughbred mare, and a Cosmic Force filly out of Baumgartner Miss (So You Thin {NZ}) purchased at the Magic Millions Gold Coast this year, who took out the race filly class. Steady Ready made an appearance at last year’s show, also winning his class.

A calling

“I haven't looked back,” said Sears, who now feels fully immersed in the training lifestyle. “My calling is training. I don't see it as a job, and Dad believes it’s come quite naturally to me, I think if I keep working hard then I'll go far in the industry.

“It can be a bit of a boys sport, especially in the training ranks,” she added, “but the way I look at it, if Gai could get going all those years ago as a young female trainer, then anyone can. Don’t give up on your dreams.”