While Michelle Payne remains the pioneer who broke through to win the Melbourne Cup as the first female jockey, Jamie Melham added her name to racing folklore at Flemington on Tuesday.
The superstar rider became the first woman to achieve the Melbourne spring’s famed Cups double, steering Half Yours to victory in the $10 million staying feature.
The win came hot on the heels of her triumph aboard the same horse in the Caulfield Cup, making Half Yours the 13th horse to complete the iconic double.
Melham has kept a relatively light riding schedule in recent months, but the two biggest rides of the carnival have delivered the two biggest results of her decorated career.
“To even ride in the Melbourne Cup is something you dream about when you’re young,” she said.
“To actually win it — I don’t have words. It still hasn’t sunk in. This is the greatest race in the country.”
Melham has long been recognised as one of the most naturally gifted riders in the nation, rising to prominence quickly after beginning her career in South Australia. Her first win came as a teenager at Streaky Bay in 2012, before dominating the Adelaide ranks.
She claimed multiple jockeys’ premierships and returned to Victoria to establish herself among the elite. Her breakthrough season came in 2020/21 when she became the first woman to win the Victorian Metropolitan Jockeys’ Premiership with 105 victories.
Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup win was her 19th Group 1 success.
The triumph carried emotional weight, with Melham dedicating the win to her late grandfather.
“He watched the Caulfield Cup from his hospital bed. He was such a big supporter of mine,” she said.
“I know he was helping me today — the gaps opened when I needed them.”
Melham and her husband Ben Melham shared a heartfelt moment post-race, reflecting on the preparation and detail they had put into their race planning.
“We went over it over and over — and it worked out exactly as we hoped. That doesn’t happen often. Today was special.”
If you’re placing a bet on the Melbourne Cup, you can check odds and bookmakers via the Australian betting sites list.
