Inside jockey Michelle Payne’s incredible life – childhood tragedy to shock 100-1 victory, royal pals and glam Ascot job
GROWING up on a farm as the youngest of 10 siblings in rural Australia, Michelle Payne had big dreams.
At the age of five she vowed to one day become the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup, the country’s most famous horse race.
Two decades later Michelle achieved her lifelong ambition, despite being a rank outsider with odds of 100-1, and remains the only female to ever lift the coveted trophy.
Her inspirational story saw her life turned into a film in 2019, with Hollywood superstar Sam Neill playing her dad.
Michelle, now 37, who is a new addition to ITV‘s pundit team at Royal Ascot, tells The Sun she initially found fame overwhelming, but has learned to take it in her stride.
And Royal Ascot won’t be the first time she’s brushed shoulders with royalty, having previously ridden at the event, met King Charles and hung out with Zara Tindall.
“I met Charles and Queen Camilla just after I had won the Melbourne Cup in Cumbria and I was lucky enough to attend a dinner with them”, she beams.
“I’ve also met Zara and Mike Tindall – she has come over to Australia quite a few times and I love her.
“She loves her horse racing and loves her horses. She’s so much fun and it’s been great to meet them.”
At just six months old, Michelle’s family suffered the worst tragedy imaginable when her mum Mary was killed in a car accident while driving her older siblings to school.
While her brothers and sisters stepped up, the financial burden to provide for the family fell solely on her grieving father.
While Michelle was too young to remember her mum, she says her “special” dad made sure he talked about her lots while she was growing up.
“It gave me the feeling of her presence around. He used to say what a lovely lady she was and how much he loved her, and how he wishes he had told her more,” she recalls.
“It was nice to have that sense of her still being around.
“I had my older brothers and sisters to look after me. Especially the second oldest – she was like a real mother figure to me.
“I felt really lucky to have that because I didn’t feel like I was missing out too much in regards to not having a mum.”
I had my older brothers and sisters to look after me. Especially the second oldest – she was like a real mother figure to me. I felt really lucky to have that because I didn’t feel like I was missing out too much in regards to not having a mum
Michelle Payne
Michelle, given the nickname Stinky by her siblings because she was “cute and good at school”, adds: “I think he just had to do his best – and that’s what he did.
“We had a dairy farm for seven years and we moved up there when I was seven. It helped support the 10 of us. We also had our stables, run by the older kids.
“There were a few horses to ride and learn how to race. It was a different upbringing from the friends I went to school with.
“But it taught us a good work ethic and prepared us for the tough world of horse racing.”
Her nine siblings are Stevie – who has Down’s syndrome and works as her strapper, helping to groom her horses – Cathy, Patrick, Maree, Michael, Therese, Bernadette, Margaret, Andrew and Brigid who died in 2007 aged 36.
Speaking about Stevie, Michelle says he was treated “just like another child” in their family, because there were so many of them.
“He didn’t get any special help – he just had to learn things and I think it made him into who he is today,” she says. “I think people underestimate Down’s syndrome in a lot of ways.”
Childhood dream
After watching her brother Patrick become the youngest person to compete at the Melbourne Cup at 17, she decided she wanted to follow in his footsteps – and go one better.
“The enormity and excitement absolutely captivated me and I just remember thinking, ‘One day, I want to try to win the Melbourne Cup’,” she says.
She was so resolute she kept telling friends that she would one day win the prestigious race.
Michelle watched her older sisters struggle to compete in the male-dominated sport – but their dad was their biggest cheerleader.
She says: “They were strong and my dad supported them and used to say the girls are good as the boys and they just need the opportunities.
“I grew up with the confidence that I was able to do it if I got the opportunity and worked really hard. It was a drive of mine from five years old and I couldn’t wait to try to do it.”
After years of hard work and perfecting her craft, Michelle landed a chance with the legendary Bart Cummings, one of Australia’s most prolific horse trainers.
She competed in her first Melbourne Cup at 24. The following year she defied all odds to steer rank outsider Prince of Penzance to victory – fulfilling her lifelong ambition.
Recalling her 100-1 triumph, she says: “When I went over the finishing line with Prince of Penzance, I just shook my head in disbelief and relief. I was just ecstatic.
“It was the most surreal, unbelievable feeling and I was so grateful that it all came together for me that day.”
As well as the iconic trophy, Michelle collected an eye-watering £3.2million prize pot – and delivered a memorable post-race interview slamming sexism in horseracing.
“It’s such a chauvinistic sport, a lot of the owners wanted to kick me off,” she said.
“Everyone else can get stuffed [who] think women aren’t good enough.”
Michelle says it was the “best feeling” to win Australia’s greatest 155-year-old race and “to stand up there and say something”.
“That’s why I made those comments which have become famous after the race. I didn’t have the support of some of the stables that I had in previous years so I had to really work extra hard and just hoped that a bit of luck would come my way,” she says.
“We’ve got some amazing talent coming through the riding ranks and I’m sure it’s going to get stronger and stronger with the girls that are coming through and just knowing that it’s achievable.”
Michelle hasn’t had an easy ride, having dealt with major injuries including a horror fall in 2004 which left her with a fractured skull and bruising to the brain.
Another in 2012 saw her fracture four vertebrae and suffer broken ribs and a cracked collarbone.
Michelle has had six major concussions throughout the course of her career and hopes it hasn’t caused any long-term damage.
In 2016 she had to be airlifted to a hospital after a fall caused horrific abdominal injuries and doctors had to reattach part of her pancreas.
The following year she was handed a four-week ban when she tested positive for phentermine, a banned appetite suppression drug.
Owning her mistake, at the time she said: “The onus is 100 per cent with me… I regret not seeking more guidance, I wasn’t thorough, and that is completely my fault. My sincere apologies to everyone.”
Life on the big screen
It did nothing to tarnish her reputation, and in 2019 a film about her life – Ride Like a Girl – was released, starring Teresa Palmer as Michelle and brother Stevie as himself.
She recalls: “I was very overwhelmed [when I heard about the movie]. It was amazing.
“I didn’t have too much to do with the production because it was so overwhelming and I had to trust them. But when Stevie was cast as himself, that’s when it got really exciting.
“The one thing we had to be mindful of was the scene where my mum was killed in the car accident.
“I don’t remember it because I was a baby but I felt like it wouldn’t be fair for my older siblings to have to relive that so they were very conscious and had good respect.”
In 2021 Michelle was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia.
Speaking about her new role as part of ITV’s presenting team at the Royal Ascot, she says: “What I love about commentating is being able to bring a different perspective to riding.
“Now, as a trainer, I can talk about the intricate details that are different with each horse, jockey, and scenario.
“It’s also great to be working with Francesca Cumani and Jason Weaver – I know those two really well and I think it will be a lot of fun.”
Although she’s a superstar in her native country, Michelle admits her love life hasn’t been anywhere as exciting.
“It’s very boring. I’m still on the lookout,” she laughs. When asked about her ideal man she jokes: “I haven’t found him yet so I’m not sure.”