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By Ray Hickson

Jockey Andrew Mallyon says the platform is there at Randwick on Saturday for talented galloper Yellow Brick to show he’s in step to be competitive in next month’s Epsom Handicap.

Jockey Andrew Mallyon (Pic: Trackside).

The gelding has 55.5kg in the Group 1 and is a $26 chance in the feature mile that’s being stifled by unbeaten mare Autumn Glow.

It’s important to Mallyon, and trainers Tony and Maddysen Sears, that Yellow Brick consolidates on his sound first-up run as he strikes more favourable conditions in the Group 3 $250,000 Bill Ritchie Handicap (1400m).

Yellow Brick ran fourth in the Show County on a heavy 10 a month ago and that ticked the first box as far as his jockey is concerned.

“I was pretty pleased with his first-up effort, there were a few things against him,’’ Mallyon said.

“He struck a pretty heavy track and a 1200m race with little to no tempo in it, and the impost of 60kg. All things considered to be finishing his race off the way he did it gave us confidence going forward.

“He’s obviously going to improve stepping up in trip and on a dry track which is more to his liking.”

The Stradbroke Handicap runner-up has been back home to Queensland since his first-up run and Mallyon put him through his paces in winning a Gold Coast barrier trial last week.

He’s also been encouraged by the form to come out of the Show County last weekend with the winner Lazzura scoring again and third placed General Salute chasing home Autumn Glow.

“It’s been a good form race but it was just more getting the horse down there and running well,’’ he said.

“I do a lot of his trackwork and his work has been fantastic, he hasn’t put a foot wrong since that run.

“He’s a big, gross, horse so we always do a bit with him to keep him ticking over. All his work has been pleasing, he came through the run bouncing and he hasn’t looked back so far.”

The final make up of the Bill Ritchie will become clearer by race morning with a large number of Yellow Brick’s rivals holding dual acceptances but, regardless, Mallyon said it’s how the race is run and not who is in it that’s pivotal.

“The barrier gives me options but for this horse to be most effective he wants good tempo up front,’’ he said.

“I’ve tried to get him to switch off in his races, and his work and his trials, and he’s effective when he can relax and have a rest.

“You want to be winning or going very close to be going into (the Epsom) and if he runs up to his Stradbroke run he’s going to be fighting it out.”

Mallyon partners the Matt Dunn-trained Gaylord in the TAB Highway (1000m) and says how the lightly raced galloper handles the occasion will be important.

The five-year-old was formerly with Peter Snowden and had a year off the scene before joining Dunn and he’s won two of his three starts this time in with Mallyon on board in the latest.

“He can get on the bridle a bit and over travel and the other day at Grafton it was a small field and I didn’t want to fire him up,’’ he said.

“He came out nicely and relaxed and zipped home really quickly. If he gives himself a chance to relax he can reel off some fast sectionals.

Yellow Brick wins a Gold Coast trial on September 9

“He’s drawn a nice alley as well, he should be ideally landing in a spot behind the speed and if they go the tempo it looks on paper he might not get a chance to overdo it.

“The way he ran the other day you’d be silly not to have a crack at a Highway.”

All the fields, form and replays for Saturday’s Randwick meeting