Half Yours has softened at the head of the Caulfield Cup market despite landing a low draw for the 2400m handicap.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained gelding is now a $2.80 favourite for Saturday’s Group 1 after coming up with barrier two.
While some traders have marked the inside marble as a potential negative, Calvin McEvoy believes it sets the race up perfectly for his horse to absorb pressure and secure a rails-saving run.
“It’s a good draw,” McEvoy said.
“These are high pressure contests, and we’ve watched the replays, and the pressure comes on a long way out.
“Drawing inside with a horse that can hold a spot is going to mean he’s going to get a rest for the first half of the race which is so important.
“We know he can absorb pressure and we couldn’t be any happier with the barrier.”
Half Yours thrust himself into Caulfield Cup discussions with victory in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) in July before a Sydney kick-off over 1500m at Rosehill on August 30.
Connections then switched south for the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 20, and that win granted ballot exemption into this weekend’s feature.
A closing fourth in the Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 4 propelled him to the top of Caulfield Cup odds.
“He’s been up and racing for a long time, but he’s probably one of the fittest horses with the miles he’s got in his legs,” McEvoy said.
“His Turnbull run was great, he did a little bit of work on the course proper at Flemington yesterday and worked beautifully.
“He was down at the beach this morning and the work is virtually done.
“Finn McCarthy, our assistant trainer at Flemington, when I get in every morning, I go straight to his (Half Yours) box, and he tells me to leave him alone.
“The whole team is up and about, from Ballarat, to the office, to those at Flemington, everyone has a real buzz about them.
“We’re excited to have this opportunity to be competing in a race like this with a live chance.”
Inside of Half Yours is Irish visitor Absurde, back in Melbourne for a third time and set for his Caulfield debut.
David Casey, assistant to Willie Mullins and overseeing the gelding’s preparation, was pleased to come up low rather than wide.
“Ideally, we wanted somewhere around five, but this way he will be able to relax and hopefully they will go a good gallop,” Casey said.
Former stablemate Vauban—now with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott—drew gate 13 and reunites with Blake Shinn.
“Barrier 13 is OK for him as he hasn’t been having much luck of late,” Waterhouse said.
“Blake will be able to hopefully keep him out of trouble. Blake was my stable jockey in Sydney, and he knows how I like our horses ridden.”
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