Half Yours outstanding

Promising staying four-year-old Half Yours turned in a sensational last-to-first performance to win at Rosehill Gardens on Saturday, May 31.

Trained by Tony & Calvin McEvoy, Half Yours sprinted powerfully over the final 600 metres to win the $160,000 Captivant @ Kia Ora Handicap (1800m).

A $10 chance, the gelding, ridden by Dylan Gibbons, raced away in the home straight to score by 3-1/2 lengths from Walking Painting ($51) with Cormac T ($4.80), 1-1/4 lengths away third.

Gibbons was caught three wide early on Half Yours back towards the tail of the field.

With the tempo muddling, Gibbons made a decision to let the gelding stride forward coming off the back and kept him going.

Half Yours established a winning break and kept powering through the line to win well.

Trainer Calvin McEvoy said Half Yours was as promising galloper, but he had concerns early in the race.

“I was worried, the pace was muddling,” McEvoy said.

“Dylan (Gibbons) came out with a plan of no plan really and it worked out well.

“It certainly wasn’t the plan to take off mid-race, but it was a great ride, and it paid off.

“The horse had a little space between runs today, up to 1800 metres and blinkers first time.

“He is a horse we have a big opinion of, and we have been waiting for some soft ground which we have not been getting down in Victoria and there are bigger things to come for him.

“Today was only his third run for us after we purchased him.

“He won last start but fell in – it was a bit of a weird race, but we were very bullish going in.

“He might go up to Queensland now and tackle something like an Ipswich Cup.”

Winning jockey Dylan Gibbons said it had not been his plan to use Half Yours like he had.

“I had hoped to get in early but was caught three wide with a trail,” Gibbons said.

“I could feel the pace come out of the race and could see jockeys up in front running into backsides.

“With the blinkers on today, I decided to go forward, and he went past them so quickly, so I decided to keep going and make them chase me.

“He ran strongly up the home straight and won convincingly.”