Jockey Jamie Melham made history on Tuesday by becoming the second woman to win the Melbourne Cup, riding the Australian-bred gelding Half Yours to victory at Flemington. The five-year-old finished two lengths ahead of Goodie Two Shoes, with Middle Earth third, in front of around 80,000 spectators on a wet track under cloudy skies.
Speaking immediately after the race, Melham, 29, said: 'What just happened? Oh my god.' She added: 'This is what we do it for, this is why we get up out of bed every morning at 4am, work our asses off for the last 15 years I’ve been in this industry. It’s tough, it’s not all glorious and perfect as everyone can see sometimes.'
Melham’s victory comes a decade after Michelle Payne became the first woman to win the race on Prince of Penzance. Payne, who interviewed Melham post-race, said: 'Welcome to the club.' Melham described the win as incomparable, despite an 'amazing' year that included her wedding and earlier successes. She also dedicated the win to her grandfather, who died last week, saying: 'The last thing he watched was the Caulfield Cup and he was such a big supporter of mine, so he’s up there opening those gaps for me because I needed a few gaps opened.'
Melham’s path to the summit of Australian racing has been marked by adversity, including an induced coma in 2023 after a fall. Her mother, former Olympic speed skater Karen Gardiner-Kah, became emotional recalling that period: 'It’s horrible for any parent to go through what we went through.' Her father, John Kah, also an Olympic speed skater, said the win was a relief after high expectations, noting that the Melbourne Cup is 'the pinnacle'.
Winning trainer Tony McEvoy described the moment as incredible, while co-trainer Calvin McEvoy praised Half Yours as an 'amazing' horse. The victory was the first leg of a potential Caulfield-Melbourne Cups double for Melham, who last month became the first female jockey to win the Caulfield Cup. Of the $4.5m prize money, the jockey receives $225,000.
