Melham Wins 2025 Melbourne Cup; Second Female Jockey

Jamie Melham won the 2025 Melbourne Cup at Flemington aboard favorite Half Yours, holding off Joseph O’Brien’s Goodie Two Shoes by nearly three lengths. The victory made Melham only the second female jockey to win the Melbourne Melbourne Cup and the first woman to complete the Caulfield Cup–Melbourne Cup double after winning the Caulfield Cup on Half Yours last month. The five-year-old Australian-bred handled a soft, rain-affected track, with Middle Earth finishing third. Her husband, Ben Melham, finished 14th on Smokin’ Romans and the pair shared an emotional moment after the race while Melham, 29, paid tribute to her grandfather who died last week. The win came before about 80,000 spectators and secures a winner’s share of A$4.8 million from a A$10 million prize pool.