Patrick Payne speaks out about little sister Michelle

Patrick and Michelle Payne

THE older brother of 2015 Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne has spoken out about the recent sacking of Payne from Prince of Penzance.

Patrick Payne, a former champion jockey in his own right, says he has spoken to his sister since her much-publicised tweet, but still feels as though he’s partly responsible.

“I think we should all just stop and take a breath,” he said. “I feel pretty terrible because I asked her to come to Mildura and ride my horse and history now shows it left her in hospital having surgery.

“I feel guilty for even thinking of bringing her to Mildura and, look, at the end of the day, the owners of Prince of Penzance, I think, would be terribly worried that somewhere along the line she could be injured again.

“And these people would be not unlike anyone else; they would be devastated.”

Payne became the first women jockey to win the Melbourne Cup, but brother Patrick states that she needs to “move on” and these kind of disappointments are common with most jockeys.

“We’re all going to have disappointments like this but we can’t dwell on it,” Payne said.

“And I know Michelle’s hurting, but she’s put huge hours into Prince of Penzance in building him into the racehorse that he is today. And I am sure that’s a source of great disappointment and that’s damn hard to get over, but she’s got to get over it.

“We’re all independent in our family and I don’t interfere with her business, but I just hope by me speaking up, things can calm down and wiser heads prevail.”

Michelle Payne’s medical advisers have given her the all clear to ride with Victorian Jockeys Association sports medicine doctor Gary Zimmerman stated that Payne is “ready to go”.

Sportsbet.com.au

Zimmerman examined Michelle and was happy with how she had come through the surgery almost three months ago.

“She looks great; she’s worked hard during her time out of the saddle. It’s just a matter of her gathering fitness, but she’s very keen and I’ve ticked her off at 100 per cent,” Zimmerman said.

“Michelle Payne is great for racing and even a better ambassador for women in sport.”

Australian bookmaker Sportsbet.com.au is offering $1.50 that Michelle Payne will ride again.

Payne is a fighter and although many have tipped that she will retire upon the recent news, we have faith that Payne will get back in the saddle and the $1.50 is great value.

Managing owner of Prince of Penzance, John Richards, said fitness was their biggest concern and that Payne should consider retirement.

“The decision that we’ve made is not to put Michelle on in the Memsie Stakes because we believe she’s not ready to ride at that level,” Richards said.

“Michelle and the owners have had a wonderful relationship as we evidenced last year.

“The choice of jockey is terribly important and the horse runs well for Michelle.

“The horse also deserves a jockey that is fully fit and also race fit, not just physically fit, and riding competitively at A grade level.”

Richards hasn’t ruled out that Payne will ride in the Melbourne Cup, but following her latest injury, he believes she should hang up the boots.

“That’s my personal opinion, not hers,” he said.

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