Get ready to witness history in the making! Jamie Melham is poised to become only the second female jockey to win the prestigious Melbourne Cup, and she’s doing it with style, confidence, and a horse named Half Yours. But here’s where it gets even more thrilling: Melham isn’t just riding a favorite—she’s riding a horse that thrives in the rain, and the forecast is looking wet. Could this be the edge she needs to secure victory?
In a recent interview with ABC Sport's Summer Grandstand, Melham shared her optimism about Half Yours’ ability to conquer the grueling 3,200-metre distance. She even joked about performing a ‘rain dance’ on Monday, embracing the predicted downpour as a potential game-changer. ‘He loves it,’ she said of Half Yours. ‘He swims through it. He doesn’t need it, but he definitely appreciates it.’
And this is the part most people miss: Melham’s strategy is as fascinating as her confidence. She’s learned from past races, like the Caulfield Cup, where she admits she pushed Half Yours too early. Now, she’s planning to ‘find the rail, put him to sleep, and wait for the second crack at it.’ It’s a tactical approach that could make all the difference in a race as demanding as the Melbourne Cup.
Half Yours isn’t just a favorite by chance. With seven wins out of 14 career races, including last month’s Caulfield Cup and September’s Naturalism Stakes, this five-year-old gelding has proven his mettle. But here’s the controversial question: Can a horse with no prior experience at the 3,200-metre distance truly dominate the Melbourne Cup? Melham thinks so, and her confidence is infectious. Yet, it’s a point that’s sure to spark debate among racing enthusiasts.
If Half Yours crosses the finish line first at Flemington Racecourse on Tuesday, he’ll join an elite group—only 11 horses have won both the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup in the same year. The last to achieve this feat was Without A Fight in 2023. For Melham, it would mean following in the footsteps of Michelle Payne, the only female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup in 2015 with Prince of Penzance.
ABC Sport will bring you live digital and audio coverage of the 2025 Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, November 4. Will Half Yours and Jamie Melham make history? And what do you think—is the rain a blessing or a challenge? Let us know in the comments below. This is one race you won’t want to miss!
