Michelle Payne aiming for second Melbourne Cup with women only racing syndicate

Melbourne Cup winning jockey Michelle Payne has taken a huge step in increasing the exposure and opportunity of women in the sport with a female-only racing syndicate.

Payne has linked up with the successful Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock led by Darren Dance.

She has plans to not only bring more female owners and trainers into one of the richest sports in the world, but Payne has visions of producing a Melbourne Cup winner from the new syndicate.

“It’s something that I’m very excited about because a lot of women have approached me and asked me how to get a race horse and how to get into racing,” said Payne.

“It would be great to find a horse to run in a Melbourne Cup for the women in racing syndicate.”

On top of a history-making win at the Melbourne Cup in 2015, Payne has been working a lot off the track in recent years, looking to build her own stable.

Despite hitting a snag earlier in the year thanks to a riding ban in NSW, she hasn’t been deterred by the decision as she looks to the future and her stable in Ballarat.

Along with Dance, she’ll be off to Europe mid-year in 2017 to look for new prospects and hopefully a Cup winner for the new syndicate.

“I will go to Europe mid-year with Darren and be guided by him but I will try them out to see what I think.”

“It would be great to find a horse to run in a Melbourne Cup for the women in racing syndicate.”

Payne is fresh off a winning ride on Lucky Liberty this Monday, but has thrown the majority of her attention towards her maiden win as a trainer with Duke Of Nottingham, and the opportunities her new syndicate will behold.

The women in racing syndicate already has three new horses thanks to Dance who has been just as excited as Payne about the winning potential and introduction of more women into the sport.

The new members will be trained by Payne and the women in racing stable and Dance’s Australian Thoroughbred Bloodstock syndicate will take a five per cent share in the runners.

Dance led Heartbreak City to a painstakingly close second place finish in the Melbourne Cup this year and will be looking to improve for 2017.

“Michelle’s attitude, as most Australian’s now know, is that women are as good as men at anything,” said Dance on his new partnership.

“You don’t need to pay a fortune to create a winner, but you do need good horses and a great trainer, and through this partnership, we think we have that covered.”