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The all-in 2025 Caulfield Cup odds on the progressive Tony & Calvin McEvoy trained Half Yours have been more than halved with the horse now second favourite for the $5 million classic after his impressive romp home in the Group 3 $200,000 Naturalism Stakes (2000m) on Saturday.
Going out as the $2.60 favourite, the five-year-old St Jean gelding made a mess of his rivals off a confident Jamie Melham ride when putting 3.5 lengths on the runner-up Berkshire Breeze with Grand Pierro third in the 2025 Naturalism Stakes results.
“I was about due to pull out a good ride today,” Melham told Racing Victoria.
“This horse is just push-button. The only instructions I got from Tony was just to try and be as close as possible and once I gave him a squeeze, he put himself there and when the gap came, he took it without hesitation.
“He’s a very nice horse with a big, bright future, I think.”
Melham began her move on the home straight, tracking up along the rails to hit the lead 200m out from the line before pulling away and charging to victory in a dominant display from the winter’s Caloundra Cup champ.
“He’s a horse we’ve loved all the way along, there’s been a fair hype about him and today was a big test for him and he took that test,” co-trainer Calvin McEvoy said post-race.
“Ever since we’ve had him, he’s been straightforward, been a lovely horse to train, and we haven’t got to his ceiling yet.”
The win saw Half Yours secure a ballot free ride into the Group 1 Caulfield Cup (2400m) back at the track on October 18.
Jameka (2016) was the last stayer to complete the Naturalism Stakes – Caulfield Cup double.
McEvoy is confident that staying in Melbourne for a shot at the Caulfield Cup will be next on the cards for Half Yours over a trip to Sydney for the Group 1 The Metropolitan (2400m) on Epsom Handicap Day on October 4.
“Dad and I, we tossed up what to do. He was in Sydney, we always had planned to run him in Kingston Town and at the last minute decided to accept here and we always knew that if he came down here to Melbourne and won, he’d probably stay here,” he said.
“Look, he’s in the Caulfield Cup now, he’s proven on a good track, so I think we’ll be all systems going to the Caulfield Cup.”
The bookies were quick to react to the powerhouse Naturalism Stakes win with Half Yours firming in from $26 to $6 in futures Caulfield Cup betting at Ladbrokes.
He now sits second only to Chris Waller’s Buckaroo at $5 who ran a brave second to Sir Delius in the Group 1 Underwood Stakes (1800m) on Saturday’s Caulfield card.
McEvoy is confident Half Yours will relish the step back up to the mile and a half in the Caulfield Cup, a distance the horse won the Caloundra Cup over by 4.45 lengths with 54kg.
“He’s a very fit horse. Look, another run won’t do him any harm. I feel like he could go straight to a mile-and-a-half now would be no problem,” McEvoy said.
“We’ll get through today, we’ll weigh up what we do, whether it’s one more run a trial, I don’t know, but it’s bloody exciting for the whole team.”
He is currently allocated 51kg in the Caulfield Cup weights.
Melham is also positive Half Yours will make his presence felt in the Group 1 and hopes to retain the ride.
“I couldn’t stop him just then. I think the further obviously the better, because he falls asleep, he relaxes in the run. He took probably 100 metres to hit his top and then there was no getting near him after that,” she said.
“Looking forward to hopefully keeping the ride and stepping up over 2400 with him.”
Naturalism Stakes 2025 Results
| 17. Half Yours (2) J: Jamie Melham 54.5kg 11215 T: Tony & Calvin McEvoy | ||
| 10. Berkshire Breeze (1) J: Michael Dee 56kg 248x6 T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 14. Grand Pierro (4) J: Zac Spain 55kg 53x08 T: Jason Warren | ||
| 16. Statuario (15) J: Dean Yendall 54.5kg 120x3 T: Emma-Lee & David Browne | ||
| 18. Brayden Star (5) J: Lachlan Neindorf 54.5kg 44x74 T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | ||
| 2. Berkeley Square (12) J: Declan Bates 58.5kg x0846 T: Dan O'Sullivan | ||
| 11. Interpretation (6) J: Damian Lane 56kg 763x0 T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 4. River Of Stars (9) J: Craig Williams 58kg x73x7 T: Chris Waller | ||
| 15. Thedoctoroflove (7) J: Luke Currie 55kg 120x7 T: Trent Busuttin & Natalie Young | ||
| 6. Asterix (16) J: Ben Melham 57kg 650x0 T: Chris Waller | ||
| 8. Mark Twain (13) J: Jamie Mott 57kg 31x86 T: Roger James & Robert Wellwood | ||
| 9. Mister Wolfgang (8) J: Daniel Stackhouse 56.5kg 281x0 T: Peter & Shaun McKay | ||
| 12. Torranzino (14) J: Billy Egan 56kg 212x8 T: Paul Preusker | ||
| 3. Future History (10) J: Mark Zahra 58kg 750x9 T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 13. Earl Of Tyrone (11) J: Harry Coffey 55kg x28x0 T: Ciaron Maher | ||
| 5. Herman Hesse (3) J: John Allen 57.5kg 5x9x0 T: Ciaron Maher |
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