Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne reunites with Prince of Penzance in comeback

MICHELLE Payne has been reunited with the horse that propelled her to international fame, making giant strides in her comeback in an early-morning gallop at Ballarat.

Michelle Payne has made a brave return to the saddle on the horse that carried her to a Melbourne Cup victory. Picture: Michael Klein

MICHELLE Payne has been reunited with the horse that propelled her to international fame, making giant strides in her comeback in an early-morning gallop at Ballarat.

Payne urged on Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance as she races against the clock to be fit enough to partner the gelding in another Cup tilt.

The 30-year-old was speared into the turf in a race fall at Mildura just over 10 weeks ago, rupturing her pancreas and casting a doubt over her riding future.

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Michelle Payne looks pleased to be back on her favourite horse. Picture: Michael Klein

But now Payne could be just two weeks from a return to race riding — and she faces a possible September 10 deadline to convince connections she is the woman to pilot the Prince over the spring carnival.

Payne wouldn’t comment on when she would resume her career but she appeared to be in good health after riding several horses for master trainer Darren Weir.

Weir said a decision on whether Payne would be reunited with Prince Of Penzance in the spring rested with others.

“It’s not up to me whether Michelle rides him,” Weir said. “It’s up to the owners and what they want.

Part-owner John Richards said it was “a conundrum’’ whether Payne would continue to be Prince Of Penzance’s rider.

“We will treat it on its merits — it’s quite awkward,’’ he said.

“At this stage she hasn’t got her permit back to ride and she could be a long way off race-hard fitness.

“We’ve said to her we can’t guarantee the ride. She’s got to get physically fit and then she’s also got to be riding in good enough form.

“She’s certainly in contention, but she’s got to do a lot of work to get back to rock-hard race fitness.”

History in the making: Michelle Payne and Prince Of Penzance. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Payne, the first female jockey to salute in the Melbourne Cup, has ridden the gelding in 26 of 27 starts, most recently in an autumn cameo in Adelaide.

Prince Of Penzance was a 100-1 chance when he won Australia’s greatest race last November, and is quoted a 30-1 chance for this year’s race.

Simone Montgomerie’s father Peter, her sister Brooke and Michelle Payne (right) ride into the Darwin Turf Club at the conclusion of ‘Cycling for Simone’.

As Payne lay in The Alfred hospital in late May after being flown from Mildura and undergoing surgery to repair her pancreas, speculation that she would quit race riding was intense.

Her brother, trainer Patrick Payne, yesterday said all indications were that Michelle would return to race riding.

“She’s really fit,” Patrick said. “She’s been quite active for several weeks, going to the gym, running a lot and she’s been riding for a few weeks now.

“Put it this way, I asked her whether she could ride 13 horses for me tomorrow and she said she would do it easily.

“But I don’t know. I haven’t asked her and she hasn’t told me, but she seems pretty keen to get back.”

Weir said Prince Of Penzance was likely to resume in the Makybe Diva Stakes at Flemington on September 10.

On a wet, misty morning in Ballarat, Payne rode Prince Of Penzance in a 800m gallop with fellow Cup hopeful Signoff.

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Originally published as Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne reunites with Prince of Penzance in comeback