Tony McEvoy dreaming of Caulfield Cup after securing Caloundra Cup with Half Yours

Tony McEvoy’s Caulfield Cup aspirations for Half Yours took a significant step forward after a stunning win in the Caloundra Cup at the Sunshine Coast.

Ash Morgan guides Half Yours to victory in the Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast on Saturday. Picture: Trackside Photography

Victorian trainer Tony McEvoy’s ultimate goal of taking Half Yours to the Caulfield Cup moved a step closer to reality on Saturday when the tough gelding emphatically won the $300,000 Listed Caloundra Cup (2400m) at the Sunshine Coast.

McEvoy wasn’t sure whether $3.50 favourite Half Yours would run the 2400m but those doubts were convincingly put to bed on a soft track at Corbould Park.

The four-year-old finished 4½ lengths ahead of Bear On The Loose ($4.20), with the Tony Gollan-trained Felix The Scat ($17) another two lengths back, to rubberstamp his Caulfield Cup credentials.

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It is unlikely Half Yours will be ready for this year’s $5m Caulfield Cup on October 18 but next year’s edition will be front of mind for Tony McEvoy and his training partner and son Calvin.

“When you look at his form and how he’s kept progressing, to come out and do what he did there (in the Caloundra Cup), I mean that was a dominant win,” Tony McEvoy said.

“Of course this is a long way from the Caulfield Cup, I’m a realist.

“But we’ve bought this horse (for $305,000), he’s the right age and if he’s well then we’ll head down that path (Caulfield Cup) and we can always divert.

“There are so many options, aren’t there? But you’ve got to have a target and the Caulfield Cup is a pretty good one to target.”

Half?! It's all his today!

Half Yours explodes away and leaves them standing in the Listed Caloundra Cup! 💨

And it's a @SCTurfClub double to @mcevoymitchell and @AshMorgan6! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/rTIeHl5MzY

— SKY Racing (@SkyRacingAU) July 5, 2025

Belmont Bloodstock and McEvoy Mitchell Racing purchased Half Yours last November, with the McEvoys taking over his training from Victoria’s leading trainer Ciaron Maher.

“Ciaron was the underbidder and he was disappointed he didn’t retain him,” McEvoy told Racenet earlier this week.

“He dropped the ball there but I’m glad he did.”

It was a terrific day for winning Welsh-born jockey Ash Morgan, who had earlier saluted for the McEvoys on Mr Verse in the opening race.

“It was a muddily run race,” Morgan said about the Caloundra Cup, won last year by Angela Jones on Mission Of Love.

“Bailey (Wheeler on Nikau Spur) went for it in the race which allowed me to flow into it.

“When I went for him he exploded. I think he’s a proper horse.

“His strength is that he relaxes really well in the run and has an explosive turn of foot. He put them to bed.

“Down in the weights, and there’s a lot of good races over two miles, there’s not really any ceiling for that.

“Thanks to Tony for four rides today and they were all immaculately prepared and they all ran enormous.

“My first rides for the stable and hopefully not my last.”

McEvoy said Half Yours would go for a spell before being targeted at the $500,000 Listed Ballarat Cup (2000m) on December 6.

Originally published as Tony McEvoy dreaming of Caulfield Cup after securing Caloundra Cup with Half Yours