Half of you completely the best in the Caulfield Cup

Half of you proved himself one of the smartest second-hand purchases of the century when he secured a royal day for unsung dads by lifting the Caulfield Cup (G1) at Caulfield Racecourse on October 18.

Giving trainer Tony McEvoy his first win in the race – made even more special by achieving it in partnership with son Calvin – the 5-year-old prevailed to give rider Jamie Melham her first win in one of Australia’s “Big Four”.

More spring glory could wait, with bookmakers responding by drastically shortening Half Yours to AU$3.50 favoritism for the Melbourne Cup (G1) at Flemington on November 4.

From gate two, Melham had Half Yours well positioned in midfield as the Caulfield Cup unfolded at an even pace. The race changed dramatically when Jordan sent Childs Adelaide River forward at the 1,300 yards (about 6 1/2 furlongs), creating a gap that extended eight lengths along the track side.

But while that caused McEvoy Sr. to have palpitations, he needn’t have worried.

As the field gathered around the home turn, Melham Half Yours set up the zero some eight horses wide, and the gelding responded majestically, claiming the Adelaide River lead in the 200 meters and finishing strongly to score with 0.46 lengths to spare River of stars . Brave king came third.

And as the relatively unsung Shamexpress did by siring the Everest (G1) winner Ka Ying risesthe even lesser known St Jean emerged with a stunning top-level triumph thanks to Half Yours’ powerful win.

St Jean the Obscure was listed at AU$3,300 at Victoria’s Brackley Park stud and has bred just 26 mares over the past four seasons. He has a stakes-winner to runner ratio of 4.54%, but that’s because Half Yours is his only black-type winner among just 22 runners.

Little-known pedigree matters little when you see Half Yours galloping, although he was certainly bred to last, namely by a son of Teofilo out of a daughter of Desert King, who also sired a certain three-time Melbourne Cup winner in Makybe Diva.

The gelding was bred by his original trainer, Maher, and the late Colin McKenna, from a mare ironically named La Gazelle.

Half Yours won two of his first five starts but was auctioned on Inglis Online at an unconditional discount after McKenna’s death last year. McEvoy Mitchell Racing and Belmont Bloodstock scrambled to buy him, paying AU$305,000, with Maher the underbidder as he tried in vain to keep the budding stayer in his stable.

After easily winning the Naturalism Stakes (G3) at Caulfield two starts earlier, he brought his trainers and his second ownership team a $3.3 million windfall on Saturday.

Calvin McEvoy choked up as he described the feeling of winning one of Australia’s biggest races with his father.

“In this race it is very difficult to make a start, and obviously I am lucky to be in a privileged position,” he said. “I don’t know what to say. He supported me and gave me a chance in this great competition.”

His father joked back, “I think he might be nice to me for a while!”

“It’s very important,” McEvoy Sr. added. to. “It’s a pretty proud moment for me to be able to do this with Cal, and yeah, it’s a really fun moment for me.

Ole Dancer adds to Ole Kirk’s early success in Thousand Guineas

The budding star sire of Vinery Stud Be Kirk has the elite title to go with his impressive list of early breeding achievements Ole dancer‘s gritty victory in a thrilling Thousand Guineas (G1) at Caulfield on Saturday.

Ole Kirk, last season’s first season champion – and from Saturday the new leader on the second year list – now has a Group 1 winner among his five black winners from just 48 runners, at a rate of 10.42%.

Bred by Neil Werrett and bought by Moody Racing from North’s draft for AU$350,000 at last year’s Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale, Ole Dancer now has three wins from five starts and the huge increase in value that comes with success at the highest level.

The filly jumped from gate five of 12 under Blake Shinn and put on the toughest of displays to win the main event.

While the first three in the 1,200 meters (about 6 furlong) were ultimately the first three at home, the Guineas provided a fascinating spectacle.

Red hot favorite Apocalypticchasing a fourth straight win after taking Randwick’s Flight Stakes (G1), moved to the front for the first time in her career under new rider Mark Zahra. Shinn was content to sit off her bottom Get a good feeling was third on the fence.

Apocalyptic had two moderate mid-12 second sections from the 1,200 meters to the 800 meters before Zahra upped the pace. Ole Dancer immediately joined her, and the pair prepared for a fascinating duel of tooth and nail over the last 600 meters.

Ole Dancer issued her straightening challenge, and the famous Moody white noseband moved closer to the lead. Apocalyptic, to her credit, fought back bravely as the pair charged down the straight, driving desperately. But although Sydney’s Michael Freedman’s filly performed admirably, it was Ole Dancer who ultimately cruised to a 0.35 length victory, with Getta Good Feeling finishing 0.75 lengths further back in third.

For Moody, who now trains with Katherine Coleman, his 64th Group 1 win was reminiscent of some glory days. Werrett has remained owned by Ole Dancer, along with Col Madden, his former co-owner of Moody’s phenomenon Black Caviar. Completing Ole Dancer’s ownership group is Werrett’s long-time associate Max Whitby.

“She’s a beautiful filly,” Moody said of Ole Dancer. “We knew we were in for a very light spring as we had lost most of our big guns, and this filly – we were not disappointed in her last two runs, barriers had just caused her demise.

“But big respect for the Sydney filly. She rose to the occasion and outdid her. The other one might have had one too many, and we might not have had one enough because I thought it was going to be too tough for us halfway down the straight.

“But she is a good quality filly, and thanks to Neil Werrett, what a day for him. He owns the stallion, he owns the mare, and he owns the racehorse with his wonderful friends and family, Max Whitby and the Madden family.”

Werrett also bred Ole Dancer’s mother, Dancers, and second mother, Viennese Lass.

Ole Kirk is currently writing his fifth book at Vinery for AU$99,000, up from AU$55,000.

Ceolwulf appears again in King Charles III

The Joe Pride trained Ceolwulf provided his connections with another memorable day at Randwick when he claimed back-to-back victories in the King Charles III Stakes (G1) on Saturday.

After running a 0.8 length winner over the re-opposition Proud of Jenni Last year the 5-year-old gelding proved a more dominant winner this time as he surged to the front in the final 100 meters, pulling 1.8 lengths ahead. Mr. Brightside. Another 0.2 lengths came back Pier in third place.

“I’ve said for a long time that I thought he was the best horse I ever trained, and it took 12 long months for him to win again the way he won last year,” Pride said.

“Quite a few heavy songs came into play. I could throw a lot of excuses at you. Nobody wants to hear them. I was so happy to see him get back to what I know he’s capable of.”

“I’m sure he’ll have his time if he’s very consistent. He’s been a bit patchy with his form but he enjoyed having those blinders on today.”

Winning rider Chad Schofield, Ceolwulf’s regular jockey, said Pride’s decision to switch gears was crucial to the horse’s return to form.

“I have so much confidence in him,” Schofield said. “Just a masterstroke from Joe, he just kept that ace up his sleeve for today’s grand final. The blinders brought out the best in him and, God, he was good.”