Australia’s newest staying star may soon have the world at his feet, with Melbourne Cup hero Half Yours poised to embark on an international campaign that could include Royal Ascot and the Japan Cup, reports punters.com.au. A Cox Plate defence at Flemington also looms large for the McEvoy stable, who are still savouring a spring double that announced the gelding as a force among the elite. The five-year-old was invited to contest this year’s Japan Cup following his Caulfield Cup success but remained home as the McEvoys judged the timing too deep in his preparation. That restraint could yet open the door to a wider campaign next season. “He could take us on a great journey and what he’s shown us this year is he loves travelling,” Tony McEvoy said. “The world’s his oyster really, it’s wherever we want to take him. Who’s to say, the way this horse stayed that two miles, who’s to say he couldn’t run at Royal Ascot, the Ascot Gold Cup. If he goes to the Cox Plate, maybe Japan Cup next year?” Half Yours has already earned $9.2 million in prize money and has now won six of his ten starts for the McEvoys since being bought for $305,000 as a tried horse. Still lightly raced with just fifteen career starts, the powerful son of St Jean has only now begun to realise his full potential. He first signalled what was to come when finishing fourth in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes, just 2.5-lengths behind Sir Delius while taking ground off reigning Australian Horse of the Year Via Sistina, who later defended her Cox Plate crown. “I think with the Cox Plate being run at Flemington next year, we could really train him to be third or fourth up into that race when he’s got more sprint in his legs,” Calvin McEvoy said. “If we put our minds to it, he’d be good enough to be very competitive. It’s a scary thought – to win all three of the majors would be pretty special.” Less than 24 hours after his stirring Cup triumph, Half Yours gleamed in the Flemington sun – coat bright, eye clear, appetite strong – a testament to his constitution. “Each run he’s improved and that Cup win showed what a class horse he is,” McEvoy enthused. “His recovery through a race is incredible – he just bounces back.” A well-earned spell now beckons before a likely Brisbane winter tilt at the Q22 and Doomben Cup, setting up a path towards another Cox Plate and possibly a second Melbourne Cup. “First thing we want to do is get him to a paddock and let him rest, just reward him for what he’s done for us.”
Half Yours was invited to the Japan Cup (pic: Mark Gatt)
Thursday Black Type Schedule (AEDT)
Thursday, 6th November 2025
3.20pm: LR Chester Manifold Stakes (1600m) Flemington
4.30pm: Gr3 Red Roses Stakes (1100m) Flemington
5.10pm: Gr1 Crown Oaks (2500m) Flemington
5.50pm: LR Century Stakes (1000m) Flemington
Punters Gotta Good Feeling About the Oaks
Thursday, 6th November 2025
Favoured runners have an outstanding record in the Gr1 VRC Oaks (2500m), with nine of the last ten runnings of the staying contest won by either the first or second favourite in the race. This year's event sees a dominant favourite chasing her third stakes victory from her last four starts as the Danny O'Brien trained Gotta Good Feeling (So You Think-Marquise da Rossa, by Testa Rossa) will be partnered by leading jockey Mark Zahra who has ridden two of the four Group 1 races run so far in the carnival. One of just two in the 13-horse field coming into the race as a last start winner, the Milburn Creek, Inglis Easter Yearling Sale graduate Gotta Good Feeling will jump from barrier 4, and since she likes to settle handy, it surely further cements her chances. Using the Gr2 Wakeful Stakes as the key lead in race, won by Gotta Good Feeling, the runner-up Strictly Business (Grunt-Tivoli Lass, by Uncle Mo) was beaten a length and a quarter, but what is the most interesting facet of her effort was that she was second up, having resumed over 1400m to win at Ballarat at just her second career start, before jumping to 2000m last start and finishing second. While she will be clearly better next time in, the question is can she jump from the outside barrier in the Oaks at just her fourth start and win over 2500m.. time will tell, but surely she must have a show for trainer Thomas Carberry. Also in contention, albeit the race looks done and dusted on paper, is Wednesday night's market mover The Pearls who is by champion sire Proisir, trained by champion trainer Chris Waller and ridden by champion jockey James McDonald. She boasts solid form around Attica and Shangri La Boy and warrants respect.
Big Dollars Change Hands for Classic Blue Hen
Thursday, 6th November 2025
Echoes of Breeders' Cup glory reverberated well beyond the racetrack and into the auction ring, as the dam of rising star Ted Noffey (Into Mischief) lit up the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Streak of Luck, carrying the weight of recent headlines, topped the evening's trade with a $6.2 million hammer price. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency for longtime client Marie Jones, the graded-placed mare was offered in foal to Not This Time. The colt, unbeaten in multiple Grade 1 wins, is widely expected to be crowned 2025's champion 2YO colt and has firmed as an early Kentucky Derby favourite. He was named in honour of Spendthrift Farm's manager Ned Toffey who oversees multiple champion stallion Into Mischief. Amo Racing USA, spearheaded by Kia Joorabchian, won the intense bidding duel with Ace Bloodstock, who had earlier secured boom mare Puca for US$5 million. Acting on behalf of Amo Racing, bloodstock agent Ben McElroy saw no reason to back down. "We had to wait around, and I kind of knew who was waiting around; it was going to be extremely strong," he said. "She's got the champion 2-year-old colt or champion elect. Kentucky Derby future favourite. He's a great-looking horse; he's unbeaten." Plans are for Streak of Luck to foal down at Archie St. George's Brookstone Farm. While her next mating remains undecided, a return to Into Mischief is the likely path. The mare recently foaled a full brother to Ted Noffey, heightening anticipation for her next progeny. "When you get a mare like that, that's produced a horse like that, and she looks like that, she's got a great cover," McElroy said. "I wouldn't say she's cheap, but I think she's a great long-term investment." Marie and the late Aaron Jones have played a defining role in Taylor Made's evolution over the past four decades, having bred 24 graded stakes winners, four of them Eclipse champions. Their faith in the operation dates back to the beginning. "They gave us a shot when nobody really knew us," said Frank Taylor. "They sent 40 horses to us right off the bat. When they come to the farm, they treat all the grooms and everybody that takes care of the horses like royalty. They're just class acts." This marks the fourth Breeders' Cup winner bred by Jones, whose unwavering support has left a deep imprint on both the Thoroughbred industry and the team at Taylor Made.
Cantiamo Appears Ready To Come Up Roses
Thursday, 6th November 2025
Day three of the Flemington carnival is known as Ladies Day with the highlight being the running of the $1m Gr1 VRC Oaks (2500m), while those fillies that don't have quite the stamina required in their legs will do battle in the Gr3 Red Roses Stakes (1100m) down the straight with the Kris Lees trained Cantiamo (Too Darn Hot-Valencay, by Rothesay) coming into the race fresh off the back of consecutive wins in September and October. Interestingly, Cantiamo's regular rider James McDonald will be on the C J Waller trained Surfs Up (Flying Artie-Palmateer, by Fastnet Rock), with the pair having clashed over 1200m back in early September. Both horses had come out at their next starts and won, while the third horse that day was Godolphin's Ohope (I Am Invincible) who has since won the Listed $500,000 Tapp-Craig and the Gr2 $1m Callendar-Presnell, clearly highlighting the form. Set to be ridden on Thursday by Craig Williams, Cantiamo has had two barrier trials since her most recent win, winning over 800m at Newcastle before Williams partnered the filly in a Flemington jumpout, with fellow Red Roses runners Vein Girl (Blue Point-Last Vein, by Unencumbered), Point Barrow (Blue Point-Take Pride, by Reward for Effort) and Surfs Up also contesting the same jumpout. With Point Barrow a last start winner over Surf's Up and Vein Girl, it will surely be an extremely interesting race, and it could come down to how the track is playing. An extremely interesting runner is the Bjorn Baker trained O' Ole (Ole Kirk-Vellor, by Sepoy) who we have not seen since her victory in January's $3m Restricted Listed Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) at the Gold Coast.
Tart On Track to Cream 1000 Guineas Rivals
Thursday, 6th November 2025
Momentum is building at just the right time for Cream Tart as she eyes her sternest test yet in Saturday's Gr1 Barneswood Farm New Zealand 1000 Guineas (1600m). A seamless campaign has her trainer quietly confident she's primed to peak on the biggest stage. The Cambridge-based filly made light work of her latest assignment at Trentham, and regular partner Craig Grylls stays aboard from barrier one – a combination that should yield a soft run in transit. While the Wellington form wasn't vintage, her trainer is banking on upside. "She hasn't taken on the big guns yet, but it's been a nice progression and she was pretty dominant," he said. "Her work on Tuesday was outstanding and barrier one will be a big advantage. She's got a nice, economical action so I don't think track conditions will be a concern." Across the broader New Zealand Cup carnival team, Pike will saddle Churchillian in the Gr3 Windsor Park Stud Canterbury Breeders' Stakes (1400m) and Slipper Island in the Listed Donaldson Brown Pegasus Stakes (1000m), while Happy Youmzain remains in play for next week's Gr1 New Zealand 2000 Guineas. Churchillian, victorious last start at Taupo under Sam Collett, has built form through a strong win and tidy trial. "She's going super and goes into the race well-weighted (55kg)," he said. "The way she's going, I think she'll be very hard to beat." Slipper Island, returning from a luckless resumption at Trentham, gets the services of Logan Bates, son of southern hoop Kylie Williams. "He loves the straight way of going and, as long as there's speed on, he'll be competitive," Pike said. "He's topweight (59kg) off a rating of 87 so might be better placed in the Stewards (Listed, 1200m) on Saturday week." Midweek winner Cannon Hill has also earned his trip south, with the TAB Mile (Gr3, 1600m) the next target after his narrow victory at Ellerslie. "It was a good effort—tight in the last 300m and he had to barge through, but got up right on the line," Pike said. "That sets him up nicely for Riccarton." Happy Youmzain, who closed off well despite a wide run on Melbourne Cup Day, will gallop again Tuesday, potentially with blinkers. If the trial satisfies connections, he'll join the travelling team as a genuine Guineas contender.
Cream Tart has significant upside (pic: Peter Rubery Race Images)
Geegees Missile Heads to Hot Tassie 3YO Cup
Thursday, 6th November 2025
With the Applie Isle building what appears to be an exceptional crop of 3YOs this season, Tasmania's 3YO Cup on November 21 looks like boasting a strong field with the addition of Tuesday's impressive winner Geegees Missile (Wordsmith-Miss Mana, by Jetball), according to tasracing.com.au. Trained by Stuart Gandy and ridden by Shogo Nakano, the 3YO filly won by two lengths and now has four wins in succession. "Shogo was soft on the whip again, which I think she does appreciate, so he might've found a key to her there," Gandy said of the full sister to Tasmanian Horse Of The Year Geegees Mistruth. "She's a filly that does need racing, so we've placed her well down in the weights. Heading to the 3yo Cup, she's a filly in form, with confidence, and she's hard fit." Stablemate Crack the Shutters (Alpine Eagle-Aimless, by Exceed And Excel), who has won his last two in succession and a total of three of his five starts is also being aimed at the same target. Geegees Missile took her record to four wins from seven starts with earnings over $110,000. They will be joined by the Barry Campbell-trained pair of Sanniya (Stratosphere-Lady Writer, by Written Tycoon) who is unbeaten in two starts at two including a Listed win but has yet to be seen at three, and Mazzini (Needs Further-Arenzano, by Not A Single Doubt) in the 3YO Cup. Mazzini, a sibling to one of the best mares in the State in Durazzo, is also unbeaten in two starts, one at two and another one recently.
Playing God Enjoys Stakes Winner 24 On Cup Day
Thursday, 6th November 2025
West Australian sire Playing God added his 24th stakes winner late on Melbourne Cup day when Adam Durrant-trained 3YO filly Playin'It Sweet (Playing God-Sweet Ora, by Oratorio) won the Listed Burgess Queen Stakes at Ascot, reports tbwa.net.au. She won four in succession this spring, before a last start third heading into the Listed contest. "She's a beauty," Durrant said. "There's not much of her but she's lean, mean and genuine. Credit to the second-horse Talkanco. She's a top filly and was hunting us down with an extra 3kg. It will be an interesting Champion Fillies. Take nothing away from our girl. She was on the bit early and will have to chill out to get a mile. She will go down to the beach this week with my partner Nicki who does all the work with her and a big shout out to all the team at home, too." A homebred for Rod and Tania Cosgrove and their daughters Jasmine and Georgia, Playin'It Sweet's connections will be hoping she can follow in the footsteps of Playing God's last Burgess Queen winner Kay Cee who won the Gr1 Kingstown Town Classic a month later. Durrant isn't planning on that pathway immediately and will go to the Gr3 Champion Fillies Stakes on November 15. Playin'It Sweet has now won five of her eight starts. As well as Kay Cee, Playing God has also sired Gr1 Railway Stakes winner Bustler. Playin'It Sweet's dam Sweet Ora has produced three foals, all winners, but missed to Playing God last spring, so was empty heading into this spring. She is a city winning half-sister to Listed winning full siblings La Famelia and Sixth Legion (Strategic-Blondine, by Danehill).
French Favourite Underwhelming in Cup
Thursday, 6th November 2025
Expectations were high, but the Melbourne Cup favourite found little room or rhythm in a race that never suited. French-trained Presage Nocturne, well-fancied at $5.50, failed to adapt to the compressed, jostling style of Australian staying contests and faded from contention as the field straightened at Flemington. Positioned awkwardly between Valiant King and Vauban, the French stayer never settled, then struck trouble late, reports racing.com. Jockey Stephane Pasquier looked after him when the cause was lost, easing him through the line under hands and heels. Trainer Alessandro Botti, based in Chantilly, offered no excuses but hinted at possible next steps. “I think the race was not really perfect for our horse,” he said. “For the moment everything is OK, the vet checked the horse, he's perfect. He didn't like the tight racing, but the race was a good experience for everybody. The race is the race.” Pasquier was more direct. “A bit disappointed because he was favoured in the odds,” he admitted. The pair had loomed as Cup threats after Presage Nocturne ran a flashing fourth in the Caulfield Cup at his Australian debut, but could not repeat the effort under pressure on Tuesday. Botti did take consolation from Half Yours, the only Australian-bred runner in the race, who completed the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double with a bold staying effort. “The horse that won the race is the one that won the Caulfield Cup,” Botti noted. “Our horse didn't like the race today.” Al Riffa, a proven European Group 1 performer and joint second elect, also found the Cup conditions unfavourable. Drawn out in 19, jockey Mark Zahra dropped back and travelled wide before launching a late but limited run into seventh. “It was OK. I was four-wide and had to find a spot to get in and there was too much to do with that weight,” Zahra said. Al Riffa carried 59kg – a task not matched since Makybe Diva's historic 58kg win in 2005, or Think Big’s weighty triumph at 58.5kg in 1975.
Maher Betters Last Year’s Big Dance Result
Thursday, 6th November 2025
Ciaron Maher’s relentless pursuit of excellence produced another milestone at Royal Randwick on Tuesday as the stable completed a clean sweep of the $3 million Big Dance, reports racenet.com.au. Victory came courtesy of Gringotts, who shouldered 62kg and defied challengers to repeat last year’s quinella with Vivy Air, while Lugh added the exclamation mark by clinging to third. With Maher stationed at Flemington for Cup Day duties, where Too Darn Hot colt Tornado Valley won the day’s opening stakes race for 2YOs, the Randwick operation delivered a clinical display of timing and conditioning. “We tried to show off last year with the first two, but first three – all credit to the team,” said stable lieutenant Johann Gerard-Dubord. “It’s a real team effort, to get all three peaking today and running as well as they did.” For a race once viewed with cautious curiosity, the Big Dance has rapidly become a prized fixture – and this year’s edition reaffirmed that status. Gringotts, the only Group 1 winner in the race, was hammered into $3 favouritism and surged clear under Nash Rawiller, who outmanoeuvred rival Adam Hyeronimus in a tense battle for room at the 250m mark. Headley Grange ($5) loomed on the inside, but Rawiller forced the issue, slicing through and igniting the favourite’s trademark finish. “I don’t think I beat him (Hyeronimus) to it – he saw me coming and tried to hold his line,” Rawiller claimed. “But to my bloke’s credit with the big weight he was full of running then.” Tactics had been reconsidered after a previous ride that left Gringotts vulnerable late. This time, patience and positioning proved decisive. “I was mindful of how I rode him the other day – contain energy the whole way and he can be quite explosive. And he was.” There was no mistaking the calibre of the performance. “He had the feel of a really good horse… carrying 62kg, $3 million – you’ve got to go a long way to find that sort of prizemoney and I’m just thrilled to be a part of it.” Gringotts, who now boasts 11 wins from 24 starts and earnings north of $5.5 million, famously bounced out of this race last year to claim The Gong. This time around, the stable is thinking longer term. Gerard-Dubord confirmed the six-year-old is likely to be set for a return to Group 1 company in the George Ryder Stakes during the autumn. Meanwhile, Vivy Air and Lugh remain in the mix for Saturday’s $2 million Five Diamonds (1800m) at Rosehill, pending recovery. “If they come through this race well, then they are every chance to go to the Five Diamonds,” Gerard-Dubord said. “Vivy Air was tough… Lugh, that was his biggest test, and he fought hard.”
