Jamie Melham’s famous Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double nearly never happened — all because of a booking clash.

Half Yours, trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, gave Melham both victories, but NSW jockey Ashley Morgan was originally set to stay aboard.

Morgan had piloted Half Yours to wins in the Caloundra Cup and at Rosehill, but a prior commitment to ride Private Harry in The Everest ruled him out of the Caulfield Cup.

“Ash Morgan was riding the horse beautifully and we would have been happy to keep Ash on, but he was committed to The Everest ride,” Tony McEvoy said.

The McEvoys then turned to Harry Coffey, who was also unavailable, before Melham got the call-up — just as Morgan lost his Everest ride.

A second turning point came when Half Yours gained a late start in the Naturalism Stakes, which secured his Caulfield Cup berth.

Now, international targets beckon. McEvoy said races such as the Ascot Gold Cup and Japan Cup could be on the horizon.

“The way he stayed the two miles, he could run at Ascot… the world is his oyster,” McEvoy said.