“I Might Win the Melbourne Cup” Michelle Payne Tells the Full Story

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Michelle Payne’s Melbourne Cup win wasn’t just a sporting moment, it was a cultural shift. In this unforgettable episode, Howie sits down with Michelle Payne, the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup, to tell the full story behind one of the most iconic moments in Australian sport. From growing up as the youngest of ten children, losing her mother at just six months old, being raised by a single father, riding alongside her brother Stevie, and enduring a career filled with life‑threatening injuries, Michelle opens up with honesty, warmth and incredible resilience. Michelle takes us inside the 2015 Melbourne Cup ride, explaining every tactical decision aboard Prince of Penzance, what she was thinking at each stage of the race, and the moment she realised she was about to win. She also reflects on the famous post‑race words that echoed across the country: “Get stuffed to anyone who thinks women can’t do this.” 🎧 The Howie Games is Australia's #1 Sports Podcast. Where the biggest names in the world of sport go one-on-one with sports journalist Mark Howard. From ultimate highs to tear-jerking lows, Howie lifts the lid on the real stories behind the headlines. He sits down with the biggest names in Australian & world sport, finding out how they started out, what makes them tick, how they deal with the big wins and the big losses, and how they take on sport and life from here. Hear the full Howie Games episode on LiSTNR 👉 https://www.listnr.com/podcasts/the-howie-games Stream full Howie Games episodes on Apple Podcasts & Spotify 👉 https://link.chtbl.com/HowieGameslisten Stream full episodes on LiSTNR 👉 https://fal.cn/HowieGamesListnr 00:00 Welcome to The Howie Games 03:10 Michelle’s unique story and resilience 11:32 Learning horsemanship and respect 14:55 Growing up with Stevie Payne 19:05 Grief, emotion and childhood memories 24:10 Falling in love with racing 31:02 Being told “you don’t have it” 34:46 Brain injuries and concussion fears 47:35 Sports psychology and mental strength 52:50 Women’s history in horse