Ride On: Hope, healing and getting back on the horse

(Paperback)

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The Melbourne Cup: the most prestigious horse race in Australia and never won by a female jockey-until 2015.

When Michelle Payne swept across the finish line, she made history and galloped straight into our hearts. Yet what came next for Michelle was an even wilder ride: a whirlwind of international celebrity that drove her to breaking point, a second catastrophic race fall and an excruciating fight to walk again.

Ten years later, Ride On reveals exactly what empowered Michelle's trailblazing win and her following triumphs in the face of extraordinary adversity and pain-the experiences, perspective and discipline that helped her dig deeper and reach further than she'd ever thought possible.

Taking us on an inspirational journey, Michelle shares how she found the courage, resilience and work ethic to keep fighting and winning; how horses helped her heal; and how kindness helped her survive the devastating deaths of her mother, brother and two sisters.

From childhood dream to dazzling success, this book takes us behind the glamour to encounter the raw, poignant and astounding story of a life lived against the odds: lessons of love and loss, hope and happiness, patience over power and finding the will-no matter what-to ride on.

Author Bio

Michelle Payne entered racing aged 15, winning her first race in Ballarat on a horse trained by her father. Michelle won her first Group One race, the Toorak Handicap at Caulfield Racecourse aboard Allez Wonder on 10 October 2009 and trainer Bart Cummings offered her the ride at the Caulfield Cup the following week. Michelle was only the third female jockey to ride in the Caulfield Cup, one of Australia's most prestigious horse races. This also led her to a ride in the 2009 Melbourne Cup, once again riding Cummings' Allez Wonder. In 2010 Payne rode Yosei to victory in the Thousand Guineas at Caulfield.

Angus Fontainehas been a writer, editor and publisher across newspapers, magazines and books for 25 years. He lives in Sydney.