The Wash Up: Caulfield Cup

Melham becomes first female to win Caulfield Cup

Half Yours was backed to the exclusion of all others and Jamie Melham didn't let punters down, delivering a picture-perfect ride on the favourite.

Melham ensured Half Yours stayed off the fence from a low barrier, which proved a decisive move, ultimately navigating a path to the middle of the track in the straight and the gelding did the rest.

In winning the race, Melham became the first female jockey to win the Caulfield Cup in its 149 year history. It was Melham's 18th Group 1 success.

"I've tried not to think about it the last few days because I just wanted to come out here and give him the best ride because I knew he was the best horse in the race," Melham said after the success.

"Everything worked out perfectly him. He had to dig deep. He's just a superstar horse."

Melham paid credit to Half Yours' trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy, who purchased the gelding from an Inglis Online Sale for $305,000 in November.

"They (Tony and Calvin) have just made this absolute professional of a horse. He's push button."

Half Yours defeated two roughies, River Of Stars ($101) and Valiant King ($27) who flashed into third, franking his Bart Cummings win where the blinkers went on.

Ole Dancer rolls the hot pot to claim Guineas

Apocalyptic was sent out a short-priced favourite in the Thousand Guineas, but it was the Peter Moody and Katherine Coleman-trained Ole Dancer who ultimately stole the show.

It was a race dominated on speed, Apocalyptic leading Ole Dancer into the home straight where the pair staged a stirring battle to the line. The favourite was brave under Mark Zahra, but ultimately Blake Shinn surged Ole Dancer past her more fancied rival for a narrow win.

Getta Good Feeling ran well in third while Salty Pearl was the best of the backmarkers.

Hunter's dream continues

Mornington trainer Rory Hunter only saddles up a small team but he's living the dream with Autumn Mystery, who is Derby-bound after taking out the Caulfield Classic.

It was a blanket finish with 1.2L separating the first six over the line in what was a very slowly run race - they went 20L below standard to the 800m mark.

"It's massive, this. The horse is a star," Hunter said post-race.

Following Autumn Mystery's win, Hunter didn't waste the opportunity to attract a few more horses to his stable: "We've got ten horses in work, but we've got the capacity to have 20 - the more the merrier!"

Autumn Mystery will now head towards the Victoria Derby, where is a $6.50 second favourite with bet365.

Knurl claims two-horse race

Thankfully for the industry, two-horse races are quite rare, but that's exactly what greeted punters in the opener at Bendigo on Saturday.

Five horses accepted for the race. Two from the Lindsay Park operation, two trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy and one from David and Coral Feek's barn. By the time the gates opened, it was Knurl representing team McEvoy and Dance The Boogie fronting up for the Hayes boys.

Knurl was sent out a $1.40 favourite, but momentarily looked in trouble when Dance The Boogie loomed up 200m out, but ultimately the son of Brazen Beau kicked back to win comfortably.

Tentyris cements Coolmore Claims

Yard watchers noted that Tentyris had shed some of the excess weight he carried first-up in the Danehill, and that translated to a dynamic performance in the Gothic Stakes.

The son of Street Boss was back at the Caulfield 1200m for the first time since running second in the Blue Diamond.

Heavily backed into $2.30, Tentyris spotted the leader Raging Force many lengths coming around the home turn, but under a terrific steer from Mark Zahra he produced a blistering turn-of-foot to claim the Sydneysider in the shadows of the post.

Tentyris is now a $5 second favourite behind Beiwacht with bet365 for the Coolmore in a fortnight's time.