Jamie Melham has become the first female jockey to win both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup in the same year, riding Half Yours to a stunning victory at Flemington on Tuesday.
The win came exactly ten years after her friend Michelle Payne made history as the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup.
Melham, aged 29, guided five-year-old Half Yours to an explosive finish, winning the famous race by 2.75 lengths. The horse, trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy in Ballarat, started at odds of AU$9. Irish mare Goodie Two Shoes came second, and Middle Earth finished third.
“It’s insane,” Melham said after the race. “I dreamt about this all week. The horse was a legend—so brave and strong.”
During the race, Melham carefully moved through narrow gaps, even overtaking her husband, Ben Melham, who was riding Smokin’ Romans. She described her plan to follow the early leaders, cut the corner, and take her chance late—and everything went exactly as hoped.
This win was emotional for Melham, who dedicated the victory to her late grandfather and Colin McKenna, a friend and breeder of Half Yours. The horse is now one of only 13 in history to win both the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
Half Yours was the only Australian-bred horse in a field of 24, representing seven nations. Melham has worked with the McEvoys for over 15 years and thanked them with heartfelt words after the race.
Michelle Payne, who rode Prince of Penzance to victory in 2015, watched proudly. “Jamie is such an athlete and an unbelievable rider,” she said, wiping away tears. “She truly deserves this.”
