Half Yours 2025 Melbourne Cup weight penalty announced
Half Yours has officially been handed a 2kg penalty for the upcoming Melbourne Cup, taking his weight to 53kg after his superb Caulfield Cup triumph last weekend.
Racing Victoria’s head of handicapping, David Hegan, confirmed the adjustment on Monday, saying the decision aligns with penalties given to previous Caulfield Cup winners such as Durston, Tawqeet, and All The Good. “With the new weight scales between the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups, he was on the limit going into Saturday,” Hegan said. “The 2kg lift moves him off the minimum to 53kg, giving those behind him a chance to bridge the gap.”
Half Yours carried 52.5kg in his Caulfield Cup victory — a weight that included a 1.5kg penalty for his Group 3 Naturalism Stakes win — and his success elevated him to the top of the Melbourne Cup order of entry. The McEvoy-trained gelding is now the $3.50 favourite for the two-mile feature on November 4.
“The penalty is consistent with recent precedent and reflects his upward trajectory,” Hegan added. “He’s proven himself among the leading stayers and earned his spot at the top of the weights for those in his range.”
Half Yours, a five-year-old son of St Jean, has now won seven of his 14 starts and continues to show rapid improvement with every run. His victory at Caulfield provided the McEvoy stable with one of their greatest moments, and he is now firmly on track to attempt the coveted Cups double.
He leads Melbourne Cup betting from topweight Al Riffa ($6), who will carry 59kg, while Valiant King sits next in line at $11 following his third placing on Saturday.
For full Melbourne Cup odds, betting offers, and market updates, head to Australia’s leading betting sites.
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