Cup of joy as favourite handed ‘perfect’ barrier draw
Shayne Hope |
Melbourne Cup favourite Half Yours has drawn barrier eight in what co-trainer Calvin McEvoy describes as an “absolutely perfect” result ahead of the race that stops a nation.
McEvoy, who trains in partnership with his father Tony, will again have Jamie Melham in the saddle as the team seek to replicate their Caulfield Cup success in Tuesday’s $10 million staying test.
Half Yours is a $6 favourite, while fellow contenders Valiant King ($7.50) and Buckaroo ($9) – both in Ozzie Kheir silks – will lead Chris Waller’s five-strong Cup assault from barriers 10 and 12 respectively.
French raider Presage Nocturne drew barrier nine and is an $8 fancy, with Ireland’s leading hope Al Riffa at $8.50 after drawing poorly in barrier 19.
But the Joseph O’Brien-trained hope will be ridden by red-hot jockey and two-time Cup winner Mark Zahra, who added two Group 1 successes to his bulging resume at Flemington on Saturday.
Athabascan drew the inside gate, and another $101 outsider Changingoftheguard drew as wide as possible in 24.
Waller and fellow champion trainer Ciaron Maher will saddle up one-third of the field between them, with Royal Supremacy ($31) rated the best of the latter’s hopes.
The winner of the Metropolitan will need some luck from barrier 21 under Irish expat Robbie Dolan, who won the Cup aboard 80-1 shot Knight’s Choice last year.
Half Yours is seeking to become the 13th horse to secure the coveted spring Cups double, and Calvin McEvoy couldn’t hide his excitement after drawing the prime gate.
“I loved it,” McEvoy told AAP within minutes of the draw concluding.
“We had to wait, we were one of the last ones to draw, but when all the wide barriers were coming out early I was quite pleased with that.
“Barrier eight is absolutely perfect. If we had to choose a barrier going into it, that would’ve been it.”
McEvoy has been buoyed by Melham’s brilliant Caulfield Cup ride aboard Half Yours.
“We’d like just as good a ride in the Melbourne Cup,” McEvoy said.
“She’s a natural lightweight, she knows the horse well and he relaxes, so the set-up’s good.
“But like everything you just need a bit of luck.”
The Melbourne Cup’s first American runner, Parchment Party ($41), will jump from barrier three, while Simon and Ed Crisford will be hoping for some James McDonald magic aboard Meydaan ($19) from barrier 22.
Irish master Willie Mullins’ Absurde ($21) will jump from barrier four in his third Cup run, while former stablemate Vauban ($26), now with Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, drew barrier two.
AAP
