Jamie Melham become the first female jockey to claim a coveted double in Australian horse racing when she rode Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours to victory in the A$9 million (US$5.85 million) Melbourne Cup at Flemington on Tuesday.

Last month, Melham became the first woman to win the Caulfield Cup in its 149-year history, guiding the Tony and Calvin McEvoy-trained Half Yours to an emphatic victory in the A$5 million handicap over 2,400m.

Ten years after Michelle Payne’s breakthrough on Prince of Penzance, Melham became only the second woman to win the Melbourne Cup in the two-mile handicap’s 165th running, leading runner-up Goodie Two Shoes by three lengths and with Middle Earth crossing third.

“Oh my god. This is what we do it for,” said Melham, who raced as Jamie Kah until marrying jockey Ben Melham this year. “This is why we get up out of bed every morning, at 4am and work our arses off.

“The last 15 years I’ve been in this industry, it’s tough. It’s not all glorious and perfect, as everyone can see.

“I’ve had an amazing year, amazing year, got married, had some really great days on the track but nothing ever, ever compares to this feeling right now. I’ve just won the Melbourne Cup.”