RED CODE MAKES A WINNING DEBUT

By Graham Potter | Friday, April 11, 2025

Just two days after Yuna Is Pierata won on debut for the Sears stable, Red Code gave Tony and Maddysen Sears another first start winner when he saluted in a Two-Year-Old Maiden Handicap over 1300m at the Gold Coast on April 11.

The Encryption gelding had won a trial in the lead-up to being given his first taste of race action and that showing was enough to see him start on the second line of betting at $3.20, although he did drift out to that price from an opening call of $2.50.

The drift was misleading as Red Code and jockey Jag Guthmann-Chester took control of the race from the start and dictated the way the race unfolded throughout the running.

For a debutant, Red Code did particularly well to hold his ground in a busy start which could have intimidated a runner with less focus, but the Sears trained runner merely brushed past those around him and won the early lead, which he maintained as a measured gallop all the way to the home turn.

On straightening, Guthmann-Chester asked Red Code to give more and Red Code responded on cue to surge out into a three length lead with 150m left to run.

Making that early break would prove to be the winning move as, although the $9 chance Solitude did make up ground late, Red Code had enough in hand to secure his first win by a 0.50 length margin.