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'All systems go' for Melbourne Cup with Half Yours
Andrew Slevison • October 21st, 2025 3:43 pm
It’s absolutely all systems go for Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours who will now head to the Melbourne Cup in just a few weeks.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained five-year-old gelding has been hit with a 2kg penalty for the 3200m handicap at Flemington on November 4, but that will not dampen plans to tackle the race that stops a nation.
McEvoy, of the Cal variety, says Half Yours has pulled up superbly from his Caulfield Cup triumph and now it is full steam ahead to his next target.
“He’s pulled up beautifully,” McEvoy told SENTrack & RSN’s Giddy Up.
“He’s just gone up to Ballarat to a little grass yard and he’s got his head down for a few days. He gets his scans tomorrow (Wednesday).
“All systems go at this stage. He looks perfect to me.”
McEvoy does not expect any issues from the impending Racing Victoria scans, suggesting Half Yours “is a very sound horse and always has been”.
“I actually think he’s pulled up the best he has all preparation to be honest,” he added.
“So, it’s very exciting.”
As for the 2kg penalty, which will see Half Yours carry 53kg in the Cup, McEvoy was in a pragmatic mood.
“He had 51, he was going to have to get quite a decent penalty (after winning the Caulfield Cup),” he admitted.
“We were hoping for a kilo or a kilo and a half but 53kgs is still a very winnable weight, so we’re not complaining.
“It’s a good position to be in.”
The son of Irish-bred import St Jean, in the eyes of McEvoy, has the tractable racing style required to put himself in a winning Cup position over the gruelling 3200m.
“I think he’ll love two miles. People will look at the Caulfield Cup and say he was at the top and the end of it,” he added.
“But it’s a whole different race. You can ride a little bit more conservative, you can trust Flemington, we know he relaxes, he conserves his energy and you win Melbourne Cups by coming late.
“I think that’s what he’ll do.”
Jamie Melham, who became the first female jockey to win the Caulfield Cup last weekend, has been booked to ride Half Yours again in the Melbourne Cup on the first Tuesday in November.
Half Yours is currently the $4.60 Melbourne Cup favourite with Sportsbet.
The last horse to pull off the Cups double - a 22-year first - was Without A Fight for Anthony and Sam Freedman in 2023. He was penalised just one kilo after his Caulfield Cup win before carrying 56.5kg to victory in the Melbourne Cup.
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