Rochelle Milnes has no immediate plans to relocate to Melbourne, despite being hailed as the sport’s next big thing by star jockey Jamie Melham.
Speaking on 7 Racing’s broadcast of Zipping Classic Day, Melham said Milnes’ bright start to her career reminded her of her own tenure in South Australia, including her approach to race riding.
Milnes won both the John Letts Medal and the Adelaide Jockey Premiership after a brilliant 2024/25 season during which she rode 94 winners, including the G2 Adelaide Cup.
SILENT SURRENTE is SW11 for Fiorente in the Gr2 Adelaide Cup
Dam Gr3 Silent Surround
Descended from Micheline@Clarken_Racing @MilnesRochelle @RacingSA @widdenstud pic.twitter.com/TrBbhyMy3G
— Pedigree Update (@pedigreeupdate) March 10, 2025
“She’s not like a real jockey, meaning that she just gets on and rides the horse,” Melham told 7 Racing.
“It sort of reminds me of myself back in the day.”
“I think she should be coming to Melbourne soon.”
A flattered Milnes said her phone blew up shortly after the clip was posted to social media over the weekend.
It’s not the first time she’s been praised by the Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, with the pair catching up for dinner after Milnes edged out Melham in the Adelaide Cup in March.
“Jamie has always been an idol of mine so it’s really nice to hear things like that,” Milnes said.
“Riding is my job and it’s something that I put a lot of time and effort into so it’s flattering to hear those comments from someone like Jamie.”
“After the Adelaide Cup, we ended up going out for dinner and we had a really good chat about the similarities between us in that we’re very free-minded when it comes to riding races and doing what we think is best for the horse in a race.”
Milnes, who sits fourth on the Adelaide Jockey Premiership after four months of the 2025/26 season, said she’s focused on making her mark as a senior jockey in South Australia, albeit she would relish the chance to ride more regularly in Melbourne.
“I’ve always said that I love SA and at the moment I don’t intend to go anywhere but in saying that, I’m open to any opportunities,” she said.
“I’d love to get a little bit more experience and if that means heading interstate, I’d definitely jump at it.”
