Another historic Melbourne Cup Day

Jamie Melham and Half Yours take historic Melbourne Cup victory

A decade after Michelle Payne became the first woman win Australia's most famous race, Jamie Melham has etched herself into racing history becoming the second steering Half Yours to victory in the Melbourne Cup (3200m).

It was a 19th Group 1 win for one of the country's most high profile jockeys along with Half Yours becoming the 13thhorse to complete the famous Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double.

"What just happened? Oh my god!," was Melham's first reaction.
"I've had an amazing year. I got married, had some really great days on the track but nothing ever, ever compares to this feeling right now."

Half Yours ($9) scored by 2¾-lengths from Goodie Too Shoes ($41 to deny Irish trainer Joseph O'Brien a third Melbourne Cup with Middle Earth ($26) who turned around his form over the longer trip 1½-lengths away filling the minor placing.

Trained by father-son combination Tony and Calvin McEvoy, the pair achieved a lifelong dream especially for Tony who now boasts trophies from the big three races in Victoria. 

The Cox Plate trophy with Fields Of Omagh in 2003 is now joined by Half Yours' Caulfield and Melbourne Cup wins in 2025.

Race experience beneficial for Tornado Valley 

An unlucky debut at Caulfield has been erased from the minds of connections following the win of Tornado Valley in the Group 3 Maribyrnong Plate (1000m). 

The Ciaron Maher-trained son of Too Darn Hot rebounded from a third-place finish in the Listed Debutant Stakes at Caulfield on October 15. 

Connections of the Bennett Racing-owned colt were forced to sweat after Ben Melham, rider of runner-up Tales Of Time, protested for interference in the middle stages of the race, with stewards dismissing the objection. 

Maher was thrilled to see Tornado Valley have more luck at start number two and hinted that a trip to the Gold Coast could be on the cards for the $300,000 Magic Millions purchase. 

“It was just like a barrier trial, really,” Maher said of the debut. 

“I thought he was a bit sleepy out of the gates, wobbled at the turn and was very good late. 

“This colt is very well bred, and he’s got a bright future.” 

The Magic Millions 2YO Classic (1200m) will be run on the Gold Coast on January 11. 

Cup Day Party for Hickmott 

South Australian conditioner Michael Hickmott has high hopes for Party Crasher although not everything has gone to plan with the four-year-old who took out the M A Services Grand Handicap (2000m). 

Party Crasher had won three of his six starts with a further two seconds before heading to Flemington on Tuesday where he scored a narrow win. 

After winning at Morphettville in May, Hickmott took Party Crasher to Brisbane to contest the Queensland Derby but was scratched behind the barriers having missed an earlier start when a meeting was called off in Brisbane in the lead-up. 

Hickmott feared Party Crasher may have been one run short after missing a start in Adelaide in the lead-up to Tuesday’s race, again with a meeting being called off. 

But a searching gallop on the Murray Bridge course proper had the four-year-old in shape as Mark Zahra pushed the gelding out to a narrow win. 

“He’s a really nice horse, this,” Hickmott said. 

“He was second favourite for the Queensland Derby and got scratched behind the gates. 

“It was a little bit of a tricky circumstance coming here second-up over 2000 (metres).  

“Big shout out to the Murray Bridge Racing Club for letting me get out on the course proper this week where I gave him a really searching gallop and I just had to think outside the box a little bit this week and do a few things different. 

“It's always good having winners on Melbourne Cup Day at Flemington, and even better in these colours.” 

Tastes better with Gravy 

Trainer Henry Dwyer may not have the firepower of the bigger stables so he has to place his horses where they are best advantaged, especially during Melbourne Cup week. 

The decision to bypass the Victoria Derby (2500m) on Saturday paid a dividend for connections with Different Gravy victorious in the Listed TAB Trophy (1800m). 

By the same sire as Derby winner Observer, Different Gravy is being set for a new race at the end of November, the $400,000 Melbourne Classic (2000m) at Caulfield. 

“We had the choice of going on a Derby path with him, but we are just holding him back a bit,” Dwyer said of the son of Ghaiyyath. 

“They’ve got a new race at Caulfield in three weeks - a 2000-metre race worth $400,000. 

“We thought he wasn’t mentally ready (for the Derby), and you saw that today when he wanted to be a bit keen, but I think we’ve given him the right lead-up for a race like that.” 

Litzdeel a winner on Cup Day 

The Australian Heritage Cup (2800m) may not have the glamour of the Melbourne Cup, but it was an important race for the Danny O’Brien-trained Litzdeel. 

A half-sister to 2019 Cup winner Vow And Declare, O’Brien had Tuesday’s race picked out for the mare at the start of her spring campaign. 

Litzdeel finished a close second in the VRC St Leger (2800m) on Anzac Day before going to Adelaide to claim the Group 3 SA Fillies Classic (2500m) at Morphettville. 

The temptation would have been to aim towards the bigger spring races, but O’Brien said there was still plenty of time for Litzdeel. 

“It is a tough one for the four-year-old mares to go right to the deep end and we made the decision early to give her a good spring where she can keep building on the progress she’d made in the autumn,” O’Brien said. 

“She can now mature over the next 12 months and then next spring, we’ll see how we go for better staying races. 

“Hopefully we can build a base for next spring and aim a bit higher.” 

Kingswood survives protest 

Trainer Gavin Bedggood was pleasantly surprised when he walked the track on arrival ahead of Kingswood running in the Listed Kirin Icchiban Plate (1800m). 

Upgraded from a Soft 6 to a Soft 5, Bedggood thought the track was in perfect order for Kingswood who was having his third start back from a long break. 

But Kingswood had to survive a protest lodged by Ethan Brown on Saint George before connections could celebrate the success. 

“We didn't want heavy ground because he's not that happy in it, but a soft five today is the perfect track for him,” Bedggood said. 

“I couldn't believe it when I got here and walked the track after the first, and I thought it was on the better side of a (soft) six. 

“With the rain we've had, kudos to them.” 

Bedggood said his stable was not inundated with ‘bluebloods’ and to be a player on the biggest stage in Australian racing was a fantastic result for his entire team. 

He said a trip to Perth could be on the cards for Kingswood, however if he remained in Victoria, the Ballarat Cup (2000m) next month could be on the agenda. 

Moreira makes up for Cup disappointment 

Joao Moreira did not have the kindest of passages in the Melbourne Cup as Land Legend made for a difficult trip taking a long lead mid-race and failing in the straight, but Burma Star turned the Magic Man’s fortunes taking the Listed Amanda Elliott (1400m).

From settling near last to blasting his way down the middle of the track to take the win, globetrotting Moreira was pleased to be back at Flemington first past the line.

“I’m so happy to get on board a winner,” Moreira said. 

“Things didn’t really go smoothly through the race. I had a bit of a squeeze as we jumped out and found ourselves a but further back than expected.

“He showed he’s got a lot of fight to dash home a winner.”

Trained by Chris Waller, Moreira had high praise for the champion trainer.

“Chris is brilliant,” Moreira added. 

“I don't think I need to say much about him. You just have to look at his work, riding his horses, always makes jockey’s lives so much easier, they’re very well educated.”

Three-time Cup victor on the winners’ list again 

It may not have been the day for a fourth Melbourne Cup victory for Kerrin McEvoy but he found his way to the winners’ list in the Group 3 Hong Kong Jockey Club Stakes (1400m) aboard the Bjorn Baker-trained Dance To The Boom.

“Nice to get on the board. She’s a mare that is in really good form. I was lucky enough to team up with her after J-Mac won on her. I won a little midweek race at Warwick Farm and she’s just very genuine.”

Mark Zahra took out riding honours on the day with a double while ten stables shared the spoils in the training ranks.