Rachel Griffiths says Melbourne Cup winner Michelle Payne isn’t a cheat

RACHEL Griffithssays ­Michelle Payne’s four- week ban from racing for taking appetite suppressants is not worth including in her film about the jockey’s life.

Rachel Griffiths says she won’t include Michelle Payne’s four-week racing ban in the film. Picture: Richard Dobson

• Griffiths had one condition when she directed Payne film
• Payne: ‘If something goes wrong, they blame the female’

RACHEL Griffithssays ­Michelle Payne’s four-week ban from racing for taking appetite suppressants is not worth including in her film about the jockey’s life.

Griffiths’ passion project, Ride Like A Girl, is based on Payne’s historic Melbourne Cup win and that is where it will end.

Rachel Griffiths says she won’t include Michelle Payne’s four-week racing ban in the film. Picture: Richard Dobson

“Our movie finishes at the Melbourne Cup,” Griffiths told Confidential at a screening of Foxtel’s Archibald documentary she voiced that premieres on September 12.

“Unlike boxing, those drugs are legal, they are weight-losing drugs and jockeys do need to lose 2kg by Saturday, but they can’t be in their system on race day. And with Michelle’s health issues, they didn’t clear her system as they normally would have, so I think people understand now it’s not a cheating situation, it was a quick headline.

“Everybody in racing knows she is not a cheat, she is amazing.”

The pair formed a close friendship during production. Picture: Genevieve Taubman Campbell

She was the first female to win the Melbourne Cup. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Payne and Griffiths have forged a strong relationship working on the production.

“We really let her be (hands on). She set a few parameters before we got the rights and we were comfortable with those,” she said.

“I said to her I want to sit on the couch with you and your family and watch the movie and have none of you punch me in the face. I don’t want to screw that beautiful family over.”

Payne was banned from racing for four weeks for taking appetite suppressants. Picture: Michael Dodge/Getty Images

Griffiths refused to reveal who will play Payne.

“My very first ­instinct is where I think we’re going to go, it’s very exciting. She is absolutely perfect and Michelle knows who we’re looking at and she’s excited too.”