Melbourne Cup Champion Faces Ban After Flemington Incident
Jamie Melham, the celebrated jockey who recently made history in the Melbourne Cup, has been handed a significant 30-meeting suspension for careless riding. The incident, which occurred during a race at Flemington, resulted in fellow champion jockey Blake Shinn suffering a broken leg.
A Historic Victory Overshadowed
Jamie Melham, 29, secured her place in the history books just days before the suspension. She became only the second female jockey ever to win the prestigious Melbourne Cup, a race often called 'the race that stops a nation'. Her victory came aboard the local horse Half Yours, defeating the JP McManus-owned contender, Goodie Two Shoes.
This landmark triumph came a decade after Michelle Payne's famous win on Prince Of Penzance. Furthermore, Melham also achieved the notable 'Cups Double', having previously won the Caulfield Cup on the same horse, Half Yours.
The Incident and Its Consequences
The event leading to the ban took place two races later on the same Flemington card. Champion jockey Blake Shinn was riding She’s Got Pizzazz when the pair found themselves short of room with a furlong left to run.
Stewards found that Melham's mount, Fancify, shifted out when not sufficiently clear of She's Got Pizzazz. This action tightened the space for Shinn's horse, which subsequently stumbled, was bumped, and led to Shinn being dislodged. The fallen jockey was then trampled by following horses as he lay on the track.
Shinn was immediately taken to hospital with a suspected broken leg and has since undergone surgery on his left leg.
The Stewards' Decision
Racing stewards opened an inquiry into the fall but adjourned the hearing until Shinn was well enough to be interviewed. Jamie Melham was charged with careless riding and pleaded guilty to the offence.
As a result, she was suspended for 30 race meetings. The ban will commence after she fulfils her riding engagement at Caulfield this Saturday. Melham will be eligible to return to racing on December 18.
