<h2>Jamie Melham Chasing Historic Melbourne Cup Double – Trifecta Summary:</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>- &nbsp; Jamie Melham seeks to become the first female jockey to win both&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/horse-racing/australia-nz/flemington/race-7-9797762?utm_source=huddle&amp;utm_medium=banner&amp;utm_campaign=melbourne_cup_2025_ab">Melbourne Cup</a> and Caulfield Cup, riding Half Yours on Tuesday.</p> <p>- &nbsp; The Australian-bred galloper is the sole local representative in the $10 million Melbourne Cup field at Flemington.</p> <p>- &nbsp; Melham and husband Ben will make history as the first married couple to compete against each other in the Melbourne Cup.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Historic Double Within Reach for Melham</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>The 29-year-old jockey stands on the precipice of Melbourne Cup history, having already claimed the Caulfield Cup aboard Half Yours last month.</p> <p>Should she triumph in the $10 million feature, Melham will become the first female jockey to capture both prestigious handicaps in the same spring carnival.</p> <p>Melham's breakthrough Caulfield Cup victory marked her as the first woman to claim that race, setting the stage for an even more remarkable achievement.</p> <p>She has tasted Melbourne Cup heartbreak twice before, finishing third with Prince Of Arran in 2020 and Okita Soushi just last year.</p> <p>"I'm very, very excited about it," Melham said ahead of Tuesday's race. "This horse is looking amazing, feeling amazing, and I did some work with him last week."</p> <p>The timing couldn't be more poignant, with Melham's potential triumph coming exactly 10 years after Michelle Payne's historic Melbourne Cup victory aboard Prince Of Penzance.</p> <p>Payne remains the only female jockey to win Australia's most famous race, making Melham's quest all the more significant.</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Track Conditions Favour Half Yours</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Persistent rainfall leading into Melbourne Cup Day has transformed Flemington's surface, with track manager Liam O'Keeffe hoping for a Soft 6 rating by race time. These conditions perfectly suit Half Yours, who thrives in wet weather.</p> <p>"I don't like the rain that much, but he loves it," Melham revealed. "Barrier eight makes my job just a little bit easier. I would just love to get as close as I can to the rail and put him to sleep early."</p> <p>The tactical approach reflects Melham's confidence in Half Yours's stamina over the gruelling 3200-metre journey.</p> <p>Drawing barrier eight provides options for the experienced jockey to position her mount favourably in the early stages.</p> <p>Training partners Tony and Calvin McEvoy, the father-son duo preparing Half Yours, share their jockey's optimism about the wet conditions.</p> <p>"Things are working out really well for our horse and it's so exciting to have a horse that's got current form," Calvin McEvoy said. "He's in with the right weight (53 kilograms), the right jockey, and now it's looking like we're going to get the right conditions as well."</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <h2>Married Couple Make Melbourne Cup History</h2> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Adding another layer to this Melbourne Cup story, Jamie and Ben Melham will become the first married couple to ride against each other in the race's 165-year history.</p> <p>Ben partners Ciaron Maher's Smokin' Romans, creating a unique subplot within the main event.</p> <p>"It's very special that we get to do this together," Jamie said of the unprecedented situation. "I told him he can run a nice second but I'm winning the race, not him."</p> <p>Half Yours carries significant weight as the sole Australian-bred representative among 24 Melbourne Cup starters. The five-year-old gelding's presence ensures local breeding maintains representation in the internationally dominated field.</p> <p>With current form, ideal conditions, and a proven jockey partnership, Half Yours presents a compelling Melbourne Cup case.</p> <p>Whether Melham can etch her name alongside the race's greatest champions remains to be seen, but Tuesday's race promises compelling theatre as she chases her slice of racing immortality.</p>