On Tuesday, Jamie Melham became the first-ever black jockey to win the prestigious $10 million Melbourne Cup, riding Half Yours to victory. That amazing victory ensured her own place in the history books of Australian horse racing. This latest feat makes Melham the second woman jockey to win the historic race. Her triumph is 10 years to the day since Michelle Payne’s historic win in 2015.
After Melissa Melham crossed the finish line, she immediately broke down into tears. Tears rolled down her face as she recognized the scope of her achievement. “What just happened? Oh my god. This is what we do it for, this is why we get out of bed every morning at 4am,” she said in a heartfelt expression of joy and disbelief.
Half Yours was the only Australian-bred horse in this year’s 24-horse field, making his performance even more memorable. In doing so Melham became just the 13th horse to win the famous Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double. This extraordinary accomplishment speaks to her amazing talent and immense commitment to the game.
Melham dedicated her victory to her late grandfather, who died just one week before the race. “I have to mention my grandpa … The last thing he watched was the Caulfield Cup, he was such a big supporter of mine,” she reflected, highlighting the personal significance of her win.
During the post-race interviews, Melham thanked her family, saying they had always been there for her even as she navigated her career’s highs and lows. “My mum and dad are here, they’ve put up with all my shit the last few years, and my beautiful husband (Ben Melham),” she said, emphasizing the sacrifices and hard work that have led to this moment.
In the race, half of Melham’s tactical plan was to just ride Half Yours in as quiet a fashion as possible until the time was right to strike. “I wanted to ride him as quiet as I could and at the 400 … I had to let him go,” she explained, illustrating her tactical mindset that ultimately secured her victory.
The atmosphere was electric and emotionally charged, especially for Michelle Payne upteaming on Melham, who had freedoms in Melham’s triumph. “It’s just the most incredible feeling and for Jamie, who deserves it, it just couldn’t be better,” Payne stated, capturing the sentiment shared by many in attendance.
French raider Presage Nocturne came in as the crowd favorite but disappointed to finish 19th. Despite being fully supported at $5.50 betting odds, he failed to live up to the hype. This result was in stark opposition to his victorious path to victory.
