On Tuesday 3rd November 2015, Michelle Payne made history by being the first woman to win the Melbourne Cup, one of the longest and most prestigious flat races in the world, aboard Prince of Penzance. Michelle won the historic race after a life of what, to others, could look like setbacks but to her were tests of strength and willpower and it was all done on a horse that cost $50,000. By the end of that day, the same horse had won in excess of $7,000,000
The story of Michelle’s life (so far) and her Melbourne Cup win have been made into a film, Ride Like a Girl, in the feature-length directorial debut by Rachel Griffiths of Muriel’s Wedding fame. Warm and uplifting with a few ‘eek!’ moments for riders (the author of this review can unfortunately identify with having one’s clothes cut off in hospital after a fall), actress Teresa Palmer gives an outstanding performance as the tough-as-nails, never-say-die Michelle Payne, and Stevie Payne (Michelle’s real-life brother) is wonderful in the film playing a role he knows intimately. Sam Neill as Paddy Payne is portrayed as a warm and human character, a man rendered a single father when Michelle’s mother Mary dies in a car accident when Michelle is just six months old.
A few more familiar faces star – Sullivan Stapleton as trainer Darren Weir, Brooke Satchwell as Michelle’s sister Therese, and Maga Szubanski as Sister Dominique, a formidable supporter of Michelle. Michelle was just the fourth woman to ever ride in the Cup (albeit her debut was in 2009, some six years before her win) in a sport that does not make it easy for female jockeys but Michelle’s speech following the win, in which she declared that anyone in the ‘chauvinistic sport’ who thought that women aren’t good enough ‘can get stuffed’, became almost as famous as her win
“I would like to say that, you know, it’s a very male-dominated sport and people think we are not strong enough and all of the rest of it ... you know what? It’s not all about strength, there is so much more involved, getting the horse into a rhythm, getting the horse to try for you, it’s being patient and I’m so glad to win Melbourne Cup and hopefully, it will help female jockeys from now on to get more of a go. Because, I believe that we sort of don’t get enough of a go and hopefully this will help.”
Sentimental without being schmaltzy, the film gives an honest portrayal of racing (and indeed, equestrian), life; the pitch-black 4am starts, the devastation and danger of injury, yet the thrill of competition and accomplishment. Sponsored partly by Racing Victoria and TabCorp, the film is not an in-depth look at the industry but it is a warm, human story about a rather incredible family and a simply amazing young woman who never gives up on the dream of her six-year-old self to “win a Melbourne Cup”.
You will laugh a lot more than you will cry, and you do not have to be ‘horsey’ to appreciate this remarkable true story.
Go and see it. Open in cinemas Australia-wide from 26th September 2019.
Review by Dauntie Rutty-Muirhead
