Jamie Melham Makes History, Completing Caulfield-Melbourne Cup Double
MELBOURNE, Australia – November 4, 2025 – Jamie Melham today etched her name into Australian racing history, piloting Half yours to victory in the 165th Melbourne Cup at Flemington Racecourse. The win makes Melham the first female jockey to achieve the coveted Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup double, a decade after Michelle Payne’s groundbreaking 2015 Melbourne Cup triumph.
Half Yours, a five-year-old gelding trained by Tony and Calvin McEvoy, surged to win by 2 3/4 lengths in overcast conditions on a soft track, finishing ahead of Irish mare Goodie Two Shoes and Middle Earth, who placed third. Notably, Half Yours was the only Australian-bred horse in the 24-horse field.
The victory was particularly poignant for Melham, 29, who dedicated the win to her late grandfather. “I have to mention my grandpa. He died last week,” Melham shared in a post-race interview with the Nine Network. “He was such a big supporter of mine. So he’s up ther opening those gaps for me, because I needed a few gaps open.”
Melham navigated a challenging final stretch, skillfully maneuvering Half Yours through tight gaps, including one while overtaking her husband, Ben Melham, who finished 14th aboard Smokin’ Romans. The couple made history as the first married pair to compete against each other in Australia’s richest race.
“There was a tight gap and I said, ‘Move over Ben, I’m coming through.’ The next gap was extremely tight and I had no say – my horse just took me through it,” Melham recounted.”Then he had to produce the finish.”
The emotional scenes following the race included a heartfelt embrace from Michelle Payne, the 2015 Melbourne Cup winner. “I’ve got tears in my eyes,” Payne told the Nine network. “It’s just the most incredible feeling and for Jamie, who deserves it, it just couldn’t be better.”
melham described the win as the pinnacle of an already remarkable year. “I’ve had an amazing year. Got married, had some really great days on the track, but nothing ever compares to this feeling right now I’m feeling,” she said.
