Jamie Melham, the New Queen of Australian Racing with Half Yours

In the early hours of Tuesday morning, she became the second woman ever to win the prestigious Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse

Jamie Melham and the McEvoys Celebrate a Marvellous Victory with Half Yours / VRC

VICTORIA, Australia (Special to Turf Diario) – On a cold, windy afternoon filled with unrestrained emotion at Flemington, Jamie Melham etched her name into the brightest pages of Australian turf history. With a flawless ride, the 29-year-old jockey guided Half Yours to a commanding and symbolic victory in the 165th running of the G1 Melbourne Cup (3200 meters, soft turf)—the race that quite literally “stops a nation.”

The daughter of St Jean, trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, drew clear in the final stages to score by three lengths over Goodie Two Shoes (Fastnet Rock), with Middle Earth (Roaring Lion) completing the trifecta. It was a perfect performance by the chestnut, who came into the race off her success in the G1 Caulfield Cup, thus completing a historic double—no woman had ever before won both races in the same season.

“What just happened? Oh my God! This is what we do it for—what gets us up every morning at four o’clock,” exclaimed an incredulous Melham as she dismounted. The emotion was palpable: the victory crowned an unforgettable year for the rider, who had suffered a serious fall in 2023 and returned stronger than ever. “I got married, I’ve had some wonderful days on the track, but nothing—absolutely nothing—compares to this feeling,” she added through tears.

There was a deeply personal note to the day as well. Melham dedicated the win to her grandfather, who had passed away just a week earlier. “The last day he was with us, he watched the Caulfield Cup, and he was my greatest supporter. I’m sure he opened those gaps for me when I needed them today,” she said, visibly moved.

Fate also had a romantic twist in store: at the decisive moment of the race, Melham swept past her own husband, Ben Melham, who was aboard Smokin’ Romans (Ghibellines) and finished fourteenth. “When I went by Ben, I knew I was going to win,” she said with a laugh amid the euphoria.

The crowd—some 80,000 strong, braving rain and wind—erupted as Half Yours crossed the wire. Among those waiting near the winner’s circle was Michelle Payne, the trailblazer who in 2015 shattered barriers when taking the Melbourne Cup aboard Prince of Penzance (Pentire). She was among the first to embrace Melham, saying simply: “Welcome to the club,” a phrase that captured the weight of the moment.

Several favorites fell short: Ireland’s Presage Nocturne (Wootton Bassett) disappointed in nineteenth, while his countrymate Al Riffa (Wootton Bassett) finished seventh, Absurde (Fastnet Rock) was eighth, and Meydaan (Frankel) tenth.

With total prize money of A$10 million (about US$6.5 million), the Melbourne Cup remains the world’s richest handicap and a national sporting institution since its inception in 1861. The race, however, has faced scrutiny in recent years—between 2013 and 2020, six horses died before or after competing—prompting the introduction of stricter safety measures.

Yet nothing could dim the joy of this historic afternoon. With her triumph, Jamie Melham not only conquered Australia’s most important race but also advanced the evolution of modern racing itself—one where gender barriers continue to fall before the power of talent, sacrifice, and courage.