Melbourne Cup: Winning breeder banks on brother

Michelle Payne on Prince of Penzance celebrates her historic win. Photo / Getty Images

Full sibling to Cup-winner Prince of Penzance has added cachet for next year’s thoroughbred sale at Karaka

The Kiwi breeders of the Melbourne Cup winner say they are thrilled at his success.

And they have also revealed a secret - that Prince of Penzance has a full brother still on the farm who looks just as good.

Rich Hill Stud is a thoroughbred nursery based in Walton, in the Waikato. The farm's managing director, John Thompson, said staff were going crazy after jockey Michelle Payne stormed through first to the finish line on the horse they bred.

"Once we breed them, we honestly follow them with a passion because they're like our children," he said. "We're pretty excited here. I guess, for us, it's the holy grail of breeding. And for one of the horses raised and sold off the farm - it's just put this farm in the world's spotlight. So it's great."

He vividly remembered Prince of Penzance, who was sold off from the farm as a yearling about 2009.

"He was a nice athletic horse. He was what you call a late foal. So when he went to yearling sales, he was a bit immature."

Mr Thompson said he had met Payne as well as trainer Darren Weir and both had told of their love for 'Prince' and his chance of doing well at the Cup this year. He hoped to sell Prince of Penzance's brother at the regular thoroughbred sales in Karaka next year.

Payne's success made her the first female jockey to win in the Melbourne Cup's 155-year history. She had ridden Prince of Penzance in 22 of his 23 race starts ahead of yesterday's memorable ride at Flemington.

The 30-year-old hails from a family whose roots run deep in horse racing. Her siblings - raised by their horse trainer father Paddy Payne after their mother died in an accident - all have a connection to horse racing, with seven having trained as jockeys. Two of her brothers have ridden in the Melbourne Cup in previous years, while brother Stevie, who has Down Syndrome, is her horse's strapper.

She yesterday praised trainer Weir for giving her a shot while also aiming a jab at disbelievers.

"To everyone else [they] can get stuffed because they think women aren't strong enough but we just beat the world," she said after the race.

Kiwi punters placed more than a million bets on the annual race - up from 828,000 last year.

Over 1200 were on Prince of Penzance. TAB turnover for the 155th Melbourne Cup was $10.39 million, on par with 2014.

The TAB has marked another record-breaking Melbourne Cup driven by strong interest in the Kiwi contenders.

TAB general manager of betting Glen Saville said customers showed overwhelming support for third-placed Kiwi Criterion.

"Our bookies will be paying out over six figures on the Criterion place result. He certainly delivered a lot of excitement for those who backed him at $5."