Jamie Melham emulates her hero to become second woman to win the Melbourne Cup

Jamie Melham followed in the footsteps of Michelle Payne to triumph in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday

Jamie Melham (pictured) kisses the Melbourne Cup (via REUTERS)

Jamie Melham has etched her name into Australian racing history, becoming only the second woman jockey to triumph in the prestigious Melbourne Cup.

It comes a decade after her hero Michelle Payne first shattered the sport's glass ceiling.

Her victory aboard Half Yours on Tuesday at Flemington sees her join Payne in an exclusive two-member club, marking a significant moment for women in the "race that stops the nation".

Melham, who only weeks prior secured the AU$5 million Caulfield Cup, guided the five-year-old gelding, trained by the father-and-son duo Tony and Calvin McEvoy, to a commanding three-length victory over Goodie Two Shoes.

This remarkable achievement makes her the first female jockey to complete the rare Caulfield and Melbourne Cup double.

It is a feat accomplished by only 13 horses in the races' 150-year histories, solidifying her career-defining Spring carnival.

The emotional resonance of Melham's win was palpable, particularly in her reunion with Michelle Payne.

Melham won aboard Half Yours on Tuesday (Getty Images)

Payne, who famously told racetrack chauvinists to "get stuffed" after her 2015 victory on 100/1 outsider Prince of Penzance, embraced the 29-year-old, acknowledging the trail she had blazed.

"The times are changing," Payne told a tearful Melham. "It's just unbelievable. Well done, what a ride." Melham, in turn, smiled, telling Payne, "I almost rode it as good as you rode yours. I tried to copy the ride a bit."

Melham's ascent to this pinnacle has been forged through immense toughness and perseverance, marked by trauma, injuries, and past errors of judgement.

Her career has seen profound personal loss, including the death of a close friend in a racing accident in 2014.

More recently, she endured a three-month ban for breaching COVID-19 protocols in 2021 and a life-threatening fall at Flemington in 2023 that left her in a six-day coma.

Despite these adversities, including being head-butted by a horse before winning last year's Victorian Derby, her resilience has shone through.

Competing as Jamie Kah until her marriage this year, Melham even rode past her husband, Ben Melham, who finished 14th on Smokin' Romans. Her pre-race pledge to share Half Yours' prize money equally with her husband underscored a personal touch to her triumph.

Half Yours, the only locally-bred horse in the 24-strong field, was a sentimental favourite among the 80,000-strong crowd.

Co-trainer Calvin McEvoy celebrated the win, stating, "It shows that we can do it. It's still our race, but it's become a lot harder to win with an Australian-bred horse."

Melham's victory not only cements her place in racing lore but also serves as a powerful testament to determination and the evolving landscape of the sport.