Trainer Tony McEvoy wants Half Yours to use the Turnbull Stakes at Flemington to show he can mix with the leading Cox Plate hopefuls. The race also helps decide between a Cox Plate campaign and a Caulfield Cup defence.
Tony McEvoy says a strong Turnbull Stakes run will confirm whether Half Yours is a genuine Cox Plate contender.
Main rivals in the Turnbull include Sir Delius, Birdman and Aeliana — horses already prominent in Cox Plate betting.
Half Yours has one lead-up run this season (sixth in the Makybe Diva Stakes) and faces a likely better draw and a step up to 2000m.
Half Yours, last year's Cups double winner, runs in the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) at Flemington with his trainer Tony McEvoy looking for clarity on the colt's spring path. McEvoy wants the Turnbull to show whether Half Yours can legitimately be aimed at the Cox Plate or whether connections should focus on other targets such as a Caulfield Cup defence.
McEvoy described the race as "the fork in the road" for Half Yours. If the horse can match it with the top Cox Plate betting names over 2000m, McEvoy says he will commit to the Cox Plate. The alternative is to pursue the $6 million Caulfield Cup (2400m), which Half Yours won last year and for which he has been allocated 57.5kg this season.
Half Yours has had one run this campaign: a sixth placing in the Group 1 Makybe Diva Stakes over 1600m on September 12. He recorded the fastest sectionals in that race, finished 4.65 lengths behind winner Sheza Alibi, and was about three-quarters of a length behind Sir Delius, who is also expected to run in the Turnbull. McEvoy has kept Half Yours fresh with that single mile run to bring him sharp into the Turnbull and believes the horse is ready to tick the 2000m box at this level.
Delius, Birdman and Aeliana — the three top-priced Cox Plate hopes mentioned in betting markets. Birdman and Sir Delius have produced strong recent performances: Birdman notably won the Underwood Stakes at Caulfield, while Sir Delius was competitive in the Makybe Diva. Their form and fitness will offer a direct benchmark for Half Yours over 2000m.
Track conditions and other variables
Rain has complicated preparations: Flemington was rated Heavy 9 after 52mm of rain in the lead-up, introducing uncertainty about how the ground will play. Heavy conditions can change the complexion of a 2000m test and could benefit some runners while disadvantaging others. Connections and punters must factor the going into assessments of each horse's chances.
Given Sheza Alibi strolled home by almost three lengths as a $1.60 favourite, none of Saturday’s Makybe Diva Stakes beaten brigade considered Saturday’s Group 1 at Flemington a missed opportunity. But there were varying degrees of satisfaction among the also-rans and few came away as chuffed as the Half Yours... Read M
Melbourne Cup winner Half Yours will kick off his title defence in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington. The Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained stayer is being aimed again at this year’s Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington on November 3. Jamie Melham became the first female jockey to land the Caulfield... Read More » The p
With the AFL Grand Final done and dusted the attention in Melbourne turns to Flemington andВ what is regarded asВ moving day. The Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on Saturday, in particular, isВ a race that can shape the fortunesВ laterВ into the spring. The 2024 winner ViaВ SistinaВ would go on to win that year’s Cox..
The Turnbull Stakes is pivotal to the future spring hopes of a number of its runners. The added complexity in this year’s Group 1 2000m contest run under set-weights and penalties at Flemington, is the heavy track conditions. The Flemington track was rated a Heavy 9 on Friday morning following 52mm of rain with showers
We take a look at the big bets the online bookmakers have taken on Saturday’s horse racing around the country with most of the big money being placed at Flemington, Rosehill, Doomben, Morphettville and Ascot. BEST BOOKIES 💸: View the Best Online Betting Sites in Australia HERE! The post Horse Racing Big Bets – Saturda
The good news is that during 2025 and 2026 (so far), that started to become considerably more visible. Plenty of races have returned to historic centers, horses and jockeys have traveled across West African borders, and the Horse Racing Federation of Nigeria introduced new equipment, leading the government to talk abou
Loading more related stories...
Open the app view to save this story, compare related coverage, and continue from the same source.