Michelle Payne statue unveiled alongside tragedy and brother split
Michelle Payne went through an emotional time for two weeks.
The trailblazing jockey stood proudly next to his new statue at Flemington on Thursday and reflected on a week he might want to forget.
Payne parted ways with his older brother Patrick on Friday, ending a productive 18-month training partnership. This follows a tragedy linked to their stable just four days ago.
The Paynes family lost three young horses in a traffic accident that also claimed the life of 59-year-old truck driver Peter Butler. He worked for South West Horse Transport and was a regular at their stables.
“The accident was so tragic that no one could have predicted something like this could happen,” Payne said.
“Our thoughts go out to Peter, his family and the South West [Horse Transport].”
As is typical, the dapper Payne arrived in Flemington on Thursday with a charming smile. He had overcome yet another difficult exam period.
The statue is testament not only to his history-making abilities as a jockey, but also to his courage.
The bronze statue will be visible to racegoers who are the first to enter the course from Epsom Road, standing next to the new grandstand next to the punters’ ring.
It is currently one of five statues in Flemington, along with Roy Higgins, Bart Cummings, Phar Lap and Makybe Diva.
“A day like today lifts spirits,” Payne said.
Throughout his career and indeed his life, Payne has experienced both exciting highs and devastating lows.
Winning the 2015 Melbourne Cup was her Everest and she became the first woman to ride the winner of our famous race.
This was the moment she first dreamed of as a five-year-old girl, and this goal took shape during her formative years.
But difficulties were never far away.
He lost his mother, Mary, in a car accident when he was six months old. He lost two of his 10 siblings, and in September last year his nephew and stable apprentice Tom Prebble fell off a horse and suffered a spinal cord injury that left him confined to a wheelchair.
As a jockey, he suffered several serious falls that nearly ended his career prematurely.
But through it all, Payne was determined to stay positive.
“You have to roll with the punches. Things go wrong,” he said.
“The same goes for when Patrick and I ended our partnership, you know, we’re still brothers, we have a great relationship and it’s not the end of the world.
“It’s just a different chapter and we’re both looking forward to it.”
Payne said it was an “incredible honour, an incredible privilege” to have a statue commemorating his 100-1 victory over Prince Of Penzance in the 2015 Melbourne Cup.
He said artist Judith Leman created a likeness that he described as proud and resilient.
“I had to work really hard for this [winning the Cup]and that’s what the statue actually shows today,” he said.
Payne’s victory broke the glass ceiling. In his post-race speech, he declared that racing was a “chauvinist sport.”
“I honestly didn’t know what came out of my mouth. It was just pure emotion,” he said Thursday.
“But we had just won the Melbourne Cup so it felt like the right time to stand up and say something about the years of struggle and hard work.
“I stand strongly behind these words and am proud that our industry is changing and becoming much more inclusive.”
Payne said he hopes the statue will inspire children to follow their dreams.
“I’m really proud that we saw another female jockey win the race last year in Jamie Kah. [Melham] Because it is very important that we continue to seize opportunities. “Don’t just take them, but make the most of them,” Payne said.
“I was lucky enough to grow up in a racing family, but my older sisters were at a time when it was really hard to imagine the Melbourne Cup.
“I feel very privileged to be the youngest and I looked up and thought ‘wow, this is what I want to achieve one day’.
“How lucky I am that I came at the right time and all the young girls and women who come who are hoping to achieve the same thing can really look at that.” [the statue] and see that all things are achievable.
The sculpture was made by Leman and was funded by the philanthropist Lady Marigold Southey AC. The concept was championed by retired racer Bryan Martin and initiated by Victoria Racing Club president Neil Wilson.
Payne said he now dreams of winning the Cup as a coach.
“Why else are you doing this?” he said.
“I’ll only have a small team, but I’ll have a team of really nice horses at my farm in Ballarat, which is beautiful and close to my dad and my dad. [brother] Stevie, at a time when I think this is really important [to be close to them]).
“And who knows, I have some exciting prospects.”
Racing returns to Flemington on Saturday for the Australian Cup meeting. The winner of the 2600m Roy Higgins race will automatically qualify for this year’s Melbourne Cup.
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