DARREN WEIR AND MICHELLE PAYNE PART COMPANY

By Graham Potter | Thursday, January 14, 2016

Michelle Payne is no longer a part of the Darren Weir racing team.

Both Victoria’s champion trainer the Melbourne Cup winning jockey were at pains to point out that there were no hard feelings about the change in their relationship.

Weir, for his part, is simply sticking to his philosophy that, ‘the people who do the work are the people who get the rides around here - simple as that.’

Payne, who has previously benefitted from that policy, most notably with her relationship with Cup winner Prince Of Penzance, understands Weir’s standpoint and has acknowledged that the demands on her time following her historic Melbourne Cup victory has precluded her from fully meeting Weir’s criteria for being offered rides.

In spite of being disappointed at the turn of events, Payne was as forthright and honest as she was with her now famous comments after her Melbourne Cup victory when giving her view of the new situation.

“I do understand things from Darren’s point of view,” Payne said, when talking to the Herald Sun. “What he has done for me is amazing and I will be eternally grateful, but Darren rewards riders who are there for him and I just haven’t been able to” (be there).

The main reason for the shift is that Payne has made a conscious decision to take advantage of her new found status and the opportunities that brings both in terms of riding options and off track promotional events.

“It’s been a crazy time for me since the Cup,” Payne said to the Herald Sun. “I just feel I have to go with it. I think I owe it to racing to promote the sport as best I can and I owe it to the next generation coming through to be the best role model I can.
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Payne has already been booked to ride at the Karaka Million race-day later this month in New Zealand where she will also be a special guest New Zealand Bloodstock’s Premier Yearling Sale.

Another notable invitation further down the line will see Payne take part in the Shergar Cup at Ascot in England in August.

So, few can blame Payne for making that decision with the opportunities on offer, as few can blame Weir for not making an exception to his rule ... but it is a fact of racing life that the door to rekindling previous, professional relationships is seldom locked and barred.

Payne is on record as saying, “I’d love to return to the team at some stage.”

For now, we’ll leave it at that!

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