Jamie Melham has steered Half Yours to a thrilling victory in the Melbourne Cup to complete a historic double.
Weeks after becoming the first female jockey to win the Caulfield Cup, Melham became the first to complete the rare Cups doubles as she steered the only Australian horse in the field to a powerful win — fittingly exactly 10 years after Michelle Payne became the first woman to ride a Melbourne Cup winner.
“I’ve got tears in my eyes. For Jamie, who deserves it ... it couldn’t better,” Payne said on commentary.
Outsider Goodie Two Shoes finished second ahead of Middle Earth, with River of Stars finishing fourth.
Irish import Al Riffa, who battled with Half Yours for favouritism for much of the week finished seventh while Presage Nocturne — who started favourite after a huge late betting plunge — finished well back in the field.
In a race that featured a bold mid-race move from João Moreira on Land Legend, who briefly streaked the field, Half Yours finished powerfully along the inside under a brillant ride by Melham.
“This is what we dream of,” Melham said after the race.
“This is what we dream of when we first get our jockey license. You want to ride in the Melbourne Cup, let alone win the Melbourne Cup.
“That’s something I’ve been thinking about all week but ... This feeling is indescribable. We just won the best race in Australia.
Half Yours becomes just the 13th horse to complete the Caulfield Cup-Melbourne Cup double, matching the feat last achieved by Without a Fight in 2023.
