Veteran trainer Tony McEvoy is edging closer to a lifelong ambition after his stable star Half Yours secured a key advantage ahead of Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup.

The Caulfield Cup winner has drawn barrier eight, a gate that helped him retain his position as the $6 favourite for the famous 3200-metre contest at Flemington.

Half Yours heads the Melbourne Cup market in a field where five contenders sit under double figures.

“What this barrier allows us to do is not make any decisions,” McEvoy said.

“At Caulfield we were chasing him a little bit to ride Caulfield, but with Flemington you can be patient.

“If you draw 20 or 24, you’re out there but in the back quarter. We can be midfield and be patient and that is the beautiful thing about a good barrier.”

Chris Waller’s leading chance Buckaroo pulled gate 12, with Valiant King drawing 10, River Of Stars landing 14 and outsider More Felons assigned stall 23.

Waller lieutenant Charlie Duckworth said the team was content to push forward to Cup day.

“It is a great result as you take a risk when you’ve got a genuine weight-for-age contender,” Duckworth said.

“We could go to other options but we’re rolling the dice and going in the Melbourne Cup.

“Hopefully he can get a more economical run than last year.”

Analyst Trent Crebbin also noted that the main players had drawn reasonably well.

“Especially the Waller pair of Buckaroo and Valiant King,” Crebbin said.

“Buckaroo covered far too much ground from 20 last year and 12. This year’s race looks more suitable.

“Top jockeys Mark Zahra (Al Riffa) and James McDonald (Meydaan) will have decisions to make from 19 and 22 respectively, especially with nearly a full minute of racing before they reach the first bend.”

Valiant King is the $7 second pick, Buckaroo sits at $8, while Al Riffa is priced at $9.

Ciaron Maher saddles three Cup runners, including Smokin Romans, who will carry 54kg after Ben Melham was permitted to ride slightly above the assigned weight.