Connections delighted with Half Yours' Makybe Diva Stakes effort

With Sheza Alibi cruising to a dominant win by almost three lengths as the $1.60 favourite in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on Saturday, the beaten horses did not feel they had missed a significant chance.

However, the team behind Half Yours expressed considerable satisfaction with their charge's performance.

The Melbourne Cup winner from the previous year finished sixth, 4.65 lengths behind the victor. Despite the finishing position, the gelding's jockey, Jamie Melham, was buoyant after the race.

"Very happy, (I) couldn't fault him," she commented. "He's very forward this time and I think next start you'll see and a big improvement in him. He's not (going to be) needing the run next start."

Tony McEvoy, who trains Half Yours alongside his son Calvin, corroborated Melham's assessment, pointing to the gelding's closing speed as a reason for optimism.

The six-year-old clocked the third-quickest final 800m (45secs), 600m (33.17), and 400m (22.14) sections of the race, behind only Sheza Alibi and the second-place finisher Autumn Boy. This effort saw him finish just three-quarters-of-a-length behind the elite performer Sir Delius.

"They left him flat (footed) when they sprinted, which you'd expect, but then I loved the way he round the race out," McEvoy remarked. "I mean, you've got the Cox Plate favourite there, Sir Delius, and I reckon we nearly took two lengths off him in the last 100 metres. I think the horse has run superbly."

Half Yours is slated to contest the Group 1 Turnbull Stakes (2000m) on October 3, a race in which he secured fourth place last year. He will then proceed to the $6 million Cox Plate (2040m) three weeks later.

This will mark his final race before he attempts to retain his Melbourne Cup title. The handicapper's decision on his weight for the November 3 event will be revealed on Thursday.

Racing Victoria handicapper David Heagan is expected to assign the defending champion 59kg, a significant increase from the 53kg he carried to victory last year. However, McEvoy confirmed that the Makybe Diva Stakes run had convinced him that fitness would not be an issue.

"He's going to be only four runs into a Melbourne Cup and it's a tough race the Melbourne Cup (over) two miles, they've got to be really fit and he will be," he added.

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