Michelle Payne: Dumped Melbourne Cup-winning jockey slams owners of champion horse Prince Of Penzance

TRAILBLAZING Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne has blasted the owners of last year’s champion after a stinging snub.

TRAILBLAZING Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne has blasted the owners of last year’s champion after they advised her to retire.

Payne’s dreams of a second Melbourne Cup win on Prince Of Penzance looked to be in tatters yesterday when she took to Twitter to slam the gelding’s connections.

The first Cup-winning ­female jockey tweeted: “not anymore I’m done. Why work your arse off for people who don’t appreciate what you do and write you off anyway #moretolife”.

She deleted the comment within minutes but not before it was widely retweeted.

Michelle Payne aboard Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance / Picture: Michael Klein

Michelle Payne’s now-deleted scathing tweet / Twitter

Payne, who is recovering from having her pancreas ­removed after a May fall, ­reacted badly when she discovered she wouldn’t be riding Prince Of Penzance in his return to racing in the Memsie Stakes on August 29 at Caulfield.

Managing-owner John Richards said the horse’s owners were only thinking of the jockey’s best interests.

“She’s had medical advice not to ride again, which she’s chosen to ignore,” Richards said. “Her friends and family have also told her not to ride. We’ve taken these things into account. We’ve always had the best interests of ­Michelle at heart.

“We wish she would rest on her laurels. There’s nothing more for her to gain by riding on.”

Michelle’s father Paddy Payne Sr said he was “very surprised that they’ve taken her off”. “Is that how you treat a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey?” he asked.

Prince of Penzance owner John Richards after his Melbourne Cup win last year / Picture: Jake Nowakowski

“They could have given her a few more weeks. She’s keen and riding and working very hard.”

Payne famously criticised Prince Of Penzance’s owners just minutes after she rode the $101 outsider to victory in last year’s Cup.

“It’s such a chauvinistic sport, a lot of the owners wanted to kick me off,” she said at the Cup presentation.

“I want to say to everyone else, get stuffed, because they think women aren’t strong enough but we just beat the world.”

The 30-year-old was also snubbed when the Australian Turf Club brought her to Sydney just a month after her Melbourne Cup win, but she was unable to pick up a ride on the nine-race card.

Richards insisted Payne had been overlooked only for the Memsie Stakes run.

Michelle Payne celebrating after becoming the first female jockey to win the Melbourne Cup last year / AFP

“We will take it a race at a time picking our jockeys,” Richards said.

“We are well aware of Michelle’s great record on Prince Of Penzance. At this stage we don’t think Michelle is fit enough.

“The owners haven’t made a decision on the rest of his spring campaign.”

Payne has ridden Prince Of Penzance in 24 of his 25 races and was in the saddle for all seven of the seven-year-old’s victories.

There appeared to be some buck-passing yesterday over the decision to deny Payne the ride.

Sandy McGregor, a senior part-owner of the horse, said it rested with trainer Darren Weir and Richards.

Michelle Payne and Prince Of Penzance create history on the first Tuesday in November. Picture: Colleen Petch

But Weir, a noted long-time Payne supporter, said the decision to overlook her for the Memsie Stakes was the owners’ call.

Richards said he didn’t think Payne should be upset.

“She’s got to remember we have stuck with her all throughout Prince Of Penzance’s career and we put her on in last year’s Melbourne Cup,” he said.

Richards said owners didn’t believe Payne could be ready to ride Prince Of Penzance in a Group 1 in 16 days.

“At this stage she doesn’t even have a medical clearance to ride,” he said.

Michelle Payne was also snubbed when the Australian Turf Club brought her to Sydney just a month after her Melbourne Cup win / Picture: Michael Klein