Melbourne and Caulfield Cup champion Half Yours will have one more Queensland run before heading to the paddock for another big spring highlighted by a Cox Plate and Cup defence.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained five-year-old finished fourth in Saturday’s Doomben Cup behind winner Birdman with Pride of Jenni and Vauban filling the placings.
“I thought he ran alright – we had a plan to make a mid-race move to try and get ourselves in contention to give us a chance against that mare (Pride Of Jenni),” Tony McEvoy said.
“It really backfired on us and it was the wrong decision and the wrong thing to do and it made it very dower and one paced.”
The complexion that four-time Group 1 winner, Pride Of Jenni brings to the race with her long leads isn’t suiting Half Yours.
“He is finding the 2000m at weight-for-age with that mare (Pride Of Jenni) in far too sharp,” Tony McEvoy said.
“He has ran fourth and tried honestly and he hasn’t run poorly and he is just showing at the moment for him to win at weight-for-age it needs to be a mile and half, where it is run like a staying race.
“These are run like a sprinters 2000m race.”
Tony has conceded he got the race tactics wrong in Saturday’s Group 1.
“We attempted a chance to beat the mare and it was the wrong decision, I’ll take ownership of that – and it made him a little bit plain and set the race up for Birdman,” he said.
The five-year-old gelding was vetted pre-race after vets deemed him to show signs of lameness 24 hours before the race.
“He got vetted before the race and passed all the tests and the horse is in great order,” Tony McEvoy said.
The five-year-old gelding will continue his campaign in Queensland before heading to the paddock ahead of another shot at Victoria’s biggest features.
“He will head to the Q22 – I am not changing anything she (Pride of Jenni) won’t be there and it is going to be run at Eagle Farm,” Tony McEvoy said.
“The first galloping track he will get on for this preparation and that is what he needs.
“All his best form is on galloping tracks and then he will have a break and get set for the spring.”
Half Yours will have four weight-for-age runs, including a Cox Plate, before heading to Flemington on the first Tuesday in November.
“He will run in the Makybe Diva, Flemington Mile and the 2000m in the Turnbull at Flemington and the Cox Plate at Flemington and then the Cup.”
Tony knows he will need the handicapper to be nice to him with the 115 rated horse.
“I would like him light as possible,” he laughed “That is in the handicappers’ hands and we have no say in that.
Half Yours is the current Melbourne Cup favourite in the market rated a $9 chance.
