Michelle Payne to retire from racing at end of 2023

Etching a name into Australian horse racing is no easy feat but Michelle Payne has managed to do just that in her incredible career. 

Having been at the very top of the sport for the best part of 20 years, Michelle Payne has paved the way for female jockeys both in Australia and internationally. 

A reliable jockey to back with any online betting site, the rigours of day-to-day racing have caught up with 38-year-old Payne and with plenty of irons in the fire away from the track, she is stepping away from competitive racing at the end of 2023.  

Michelle Payne is set to bring her incredible career to an end in 2023, with more than 700 winners ridden and how fitting it would be if she could mount one more challenge at Flemington in the 2023 Melbourne Cup. 

Payne’s ability to get the very best out of her horses made her the toast of many punters and Aussie bookmakers throughout her career and whilst she hasn’t hit the heights so much in recent years, her presence at the very top of the sport will be missed. 
 
Overcoming Payne 

From a young age, Michelle Payne was always tipped to go very far in the world of horse racing, and she was able to fulfil her potential in a way that very few jockeys have been able to. 
 
A horror fall at Sandown back in 2004 left Payne with potentially career changing injuries, but it is testament to her incredible determination and resolve that she was able to get back on the saddle so quickly. 
 
Riding over 700 career winners is an incredible achievement and something that Payne will always be remembered for, but father time looks to have ultimately caught up with her. 
 
At the age of 38, Payne has struggled to stay fit for long periods over the past couple of seasons, something that has been influential in her decision to step away from the saddle. 
 
Flemington folklore 

Incredibly, in the 155-year history of the Melbourne Cup, only one female jockey has managed to win the race and it is of course Michelle Payne. 
 
Triumphing to huge fanfare on board Pride of Penzance, Payne was at the peak of her powers at that point and her consistent performances throughout the past decade or so have made her one of the most sought-after jockeys globally. 
 
Payne’s win at Flemington back in 2015 will always be fondly remembered and inevitably, with her final outings at Flemington in the calendar in 2023, there will be increased scrutiny on her once more as she lines up for the final time, at the track where she created history. 
 
A racing legend 

The news that Michelle Payne is stepping away from competitive racing has hit the Australian horse racing world hard. 
 
Any jockey that has been in the parade ring for 20 years and who has saddled over 700 winners will always be missed but Michelle Payne’s mixture of style and substance whilst doing it has made her a household name in the world of racing. 
 
Typically, Payne will be making a seamless transition away from the saddle, moving full-time into her breeding and training role – something she is currently doing with her brother Patrick. 
 
In addition, Payne has been undertaking commentary commitments in some of the biggest races, both in Australia and abroad, providing expert insight from a jockey that is still very much in the game. 
 
So, whilst seeing Michelle Payne in the saddle will soon become a thing of the past, her presence will still be felt amongst the biggest races and racecourses in Australia and beyond. 

Legendary jockey Michelle Payne has announced that the 2023 season will be her last, news that has saddened the horse racing fraternity. 
 
Whilst Payne’s win on board Pride of Penzance elevated her to new heights as the only female winner of the Melbourne Cup in 2015, she has been one of the most consistent jockeys in Australia over the past two decades and race cards across the country will look very different without her in the saddle.