Jamie Melham wrote history in Melbourne on Tuesday, as she became the second female jockey to claim Australia's most famous horse race, the Melbourne Cup. Ridden by Half Yours, a 5-1 favourite trained by father and son Tony and Calvin McEvoy, Melham overcame the odds to finish three lengths clear of Goodie Two Shoes.
In a year that has already seen her win the Caulfield Cup, making her the first woman to claim the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double, Melham's victory in the Melbourne Cup cemented her status as one of Australia's top jockeys. The 29-year-old rider spoke of the emotional significance of the moment, saying she knew she was going to come first when she went past her husband Ben, who rode Smokin' Romans to an 14th-placed finish.
For Melham, the win was all the more special given the passing of her grandfather, a huge supporter of hers. "The last thing he watched was the Caulfield Cup, and he was such a big supporter of mine," she said, in a tribute to the man who had been behind her success from afar. "So he's up there opening those gaps for me because I needed a few gaps open then."
As Melham celebrated with her husband, Michelle Payne - the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup 10 years ago - looked on and welcomed her into the exclusive club of Australian Cup winners. The 80,000-strong crowd at Flemington braved a cold, wet, and windy day to witness what is often called "the race that stops a nation."
Half Yours has now claimed back-to-back victories with the Caulfield Cup win earlier this year, and will share the prize money of £5m.
In a year that has already seen her win the Caulfield Cup, making her the first woman to claim the Caulfield-Melbourne Cup double, Melham's victory in the Melbourne Cup cemented her status as one of Australia's top jockeys. The 29-year-old rider spoke of the emotional significance of the moment, saying she knew she was going to come first when she went past her husband Ben, who rode Smokin' Romans to an 14th-placed finish.
For Melham, the win was all the more special given the passing of her grandfather, a huge supporter of hers. "The last thing he watched was the Caulfield Cup, and he was such a big supporter of mine," she said, in a tribute to the man who had been behind her success from afar. "So he's up there opening those gaps for me because I needed a few gaps open then."
As Melham celebrated with her husband, Michelle Payne - the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup 10 years ago - looked on and welcomed her into the exclusive club of Australian Cup winners. The 80,000-strong crowd at Flemington braved a cold, wet, and windy day to witness what is often called "the race that stops a nation."
Half Yours has now claimed back-to-back victories with the Caulfield Cup win earlier this year, and will share the prize money of £5m.
, but let's be real, it's also a reminder that we've got a long way to go in terms of equality 
. I mean, it took Michelle Payne 10 years to get the recognition she deserved after winning the Melbourne Cup - that's not progress, that's just parity 
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or is it genuine sibling love? Either way, it raises questions about how far you can take family ties in the sports world 
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. But at the same time, it made me think about the systemic barriers women face in sports 
. She's not just breaking glass ceilings for herself, but also for all the women out there who come after her. We need more representation and opportunities for women in sports, pronto! 
! she's literally made history by becoming the 2nd female jockey to win the melbourne cup! i'm getting chills thinking about how emotional it must've been for her, especially after losing her grandpa who was such a huge supporter. 
it's amazing that she could make him proud like that 
what a day at the races! 
. She's been riding high for months, winning that Caulfield Cup thingy... but still, it's a huge upset that she took down the favorite and her own nerves. And poor Ben, her hubby, getting beat by his own wife 
. I mean, what were the odds on him beating her? 
. And now, Jamie Melham is following in her footsteps, but not without overcoming some tough odds 
. I mean, 5-1 favourite and all that... still got it in the end though 
. But you know who's really feeling it? The 80k strong crowd at Flemington, braving a cold, wet, and windy day to witness history being made 
. Can't say I'm surprised though, Aussies are always up for a good punt 
what a tribute to her grandpa, too. it's amazing how far she's come and now she can say she's part of an elite group of women who've achieved something truly historic 
And what's with the husband being a jockey too? That's some crazy coincidences right there... 
But for real though, Michelle Payne was a total trailblazer for women in racing, and it's awesome that Jamie gets to follow in her footsteps - except maybe not literally, since Jamie didn't exactly set out to be a trailblazer herself 
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. and can you believe michelle payne is over there cheering her on? what a legend 
. it's like he's still with her, guiding her to success. anyway, congrats jamie, you're an Aussie icon now 
She's been on fire all season and to beat the odds like that is just mental 
! I love how she gave a shoutout to her grandpa, he sounds like an amazing supporter 
. Michelle Payne was there too, and it's always awesome to see the women in jockeys supporting each other 
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. I mean, she's already shown us what she can do by winning the Caulfield Cup, but to take down the Melbourne Cup? That's just incredible 
! But, gotta say, the odds were pretty stacked against Melham. Still, she proved everyone wrong and showed us what we've been waiting for 
It's just a bunch of horse racing news... seriously, who cares? 
And don't even get me started on the comments section - all it's full of predictable stuff like "congrats to Jamie Melham!" and "she's such an inspiration!". Can't we have some actual discussion going on here? 
Jamie Melham is an absolute legend! Her emotional speech about her grandfather was giving me ALL the feels 
. Michelle Payne welcoming her into the club is literally the icing on the cake 
, I'm so happy for these women breaking barriers in a sport dominated by men 
I'm so stoked for her & her hubby Ben 
and michelle payne is still an icon 
. The fact that Michelle Payne, another trailblazing female jockey, was in attendance and welcomed Melham into an exclusive club is a heartwarming moment 
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