The adoring crowds at Flemington on Melbourne Cup Day will be but a distant memory for Jamie Melham when she makes a low-key return to the saddle with one ride at a sun-scorched Seymour on Thursday.
Although her time out of the saddle was stewards-enforced after she was found guilty of careless riding that contributed to Blake Shinn’s Cup Day fall, Melham has had the chance to celebrate her history-making win, switch off from racing and enjoy some family time interstate.
The month-long suspension ends after Wednesday and the 29-year-old has been lured straight back into the saddle by none other than her dad, who is the sole owner of the Clinton McDonald-trained Albertville.
The progressive four-year-old has won two of his four starts, both with Melham in the saddle, and she’s keen to maintain the winning association for her father, who works part-time for McDonald and also plays a key role on Melham’s Mornington Peninsula equine property.
“I said to my manager that I wanted to have a really quiet month,” Melham said.
“I just wanted to go home and work with my horses and my ponies.”
“We went to Queensland, to the middle of nowhere, and that was amazing to switch off completely for a few days.”
“I’m still contemplating whether I’m ready to come back riding.”
“He (Albertville) is dad’s horse – he works for Clinton in the mornings doing a bit of horse transport.”
Melham warmed up for her return with a busy morning at the Cranbourne jump-outs on Monday.
She has several key rides at Caulfield on Saturday including first starter Invincible Son for Robbie Griffiths in the $250,000 Magic Millions 2YO Classic. She will also reunite with Half Yours’ trainers Tony and Calvin McEvoy via last-start winner Steel Move in the Magic Millions 3YO & 4YO Classic.
“I rode jump-outs on Monday and I told myself I’d just do a few and I ended up riding in 16.”
