Although Tony McEvoy acknowledges the daunting opposition for Half Yours in the upcoming Group 1 All Aged Stakes at Randwick this Saturday, the trainer is thoroughly pleased with the condition of his prominent stable runner ahead of the comeback.
The five-year-old makes his racing return since claiming the Caulfield Cup/Melbourne Cup double on November 4 at Flemington, lining up versus names like Jimmysstar, Giga Kick, Fangirl, Briasa and Angel Capital in the 1400-metre $1.5 million showdown.
It represents Half Yours’ first outing at the distance since March 19 of the previous year, when he fell short to Tumbling in Sandown’s benchmark 64, but the end of 2025 saw him emerge as a top stayer, and McEvoy indicated the work has targeted a snappy initial run.
“We’re training him a bit different at the moment; we’re keeping him really sharp to run in this 1400-metre race,” McEvoy said on Monday morning.
“He’s telling us that he’s loving it. He’s bouncing off the track, he’s eating maximum feed and I think he looks very, very well.
“He had his second trial under Jamie Melham at Flemington last week and we were all pretty with him and Jamie said he felt great.
“We’re really pleased. He’s travelled up to Sydney and he’s settled into Rosehill really well. He’s just going to have a sharp little piece of work tomorrow and then he’s going to run in the All Aged.
“It’s probably a hurdle too far for him to win that race if you look at who’s running, but it’s good kick off for him and it sets him up nicely.”
Next after the All Aged Stakes comes the $500,000 Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on May 9 for Half Yours, with the $1m Group 1 Doomben Cup (2000m) a couple of weeks later and $1.2 million Group 2 Q22 (2200m) on June 13.
As a weight-for-age program, McEvoy and son Calvin, the co-trainer, want to gauge his prowess in such races, potentially en route to Melbourne Cup repeat via the 2040m Cox Plate at Flemington this year.
“That’s where he has to be now, weight-for-age, and he’s got to prove to us that he’s a weight-for-age horse,” McEvoy said.
“But, I must say, his run in the Turnbull was pretty good, finishing alongside Via Sistina, and from that moment I thought this horse is going to be able to handle himself at weight-for-age level.”
Half Yours is listed in 19 acceptors for the All Aged Stakes, paired with the $1m Champagne Stakes (1600m) as Randwick’s dual Group 1s this Saturday, starring ATC Sires’ winner Campione D’Italia.
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