Half Yours has eased at the top of the market for the Caulfield Cup despite drawing an inside gate in the 2400m handicap.
The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained stayer is now the $2.80 favourite to claim the Group 1 contest on Saturday after drawing barrier two.
While odds-framers may consider the draw not to Half Yours’ advantage, Calvin McEvoy said the draw would enable the gelding to absorb the early pressure before gaining an economical 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 came into Caulfield Cup calculations after winning the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) in July and was going to race his way into Saturday’s feature via a campaign in Sydney.
After finishing fifth over 1500m at Rosehill on August 30, the decision was made to bring the gelding to Melbourne to ran in the Naturalism Stakes (2000m) at Caulfield on September 20, and with victory it provided Half Yours with a Caulfield Cup ballot exemption.
Half Yours then went on to finish fourth in Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington on October 4 which rocketed 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.”
Drawing inside Half Yours is Irish raider Absurde who is on his third trip to Melbourne but having his first run at Caulfield.
David Casey, the assistant trainer for Willie Mullins and charged with overseeing Absurde’s Melbourne preparation, said drawing inside was far better than being out 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.
Vauban, a former stablemate of Absurde and now in the care of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott, drew out in gate 13 and will be partnered by 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.”
