Paddy Payne Snr, the patriarch of one of Australasian racing’s best-known families, has passed away aged 90.
Born in Hawera, Payne was the father of 10 children, with eight going on to become jockeys, including Melbourne Cup-winning hoop Michelle Payne and Group One-winning jockey turned Group One-winning trainer Patrick Payne.
Payne commenced his career in New Zealand, where he enjoyed plenty of success as both a trainer and jumps jockey.
“I grew up in Hawera and had a bit of success when I was over there,” Payne told NZ Racing Desk in 2019. “I rode a few horses and did alright – I actually won a steeplechase at Ellerslie with my very last ride.
“I also trained a few horses here and there and didn’t do too badly with those as well. We were just owner-trainers and had a few cheap horses and cast-offs, but we won a few decent races along the way.
“My last two runners in New Zealand were Group wins at Ellerslie – a horse called Paddy Boy won the Gr.1 Sires’ Produce Stakes (1400m) and the Gr.3 Champagne Stakes (1200m).”
Payne and his wife Mary, and their eight children at the time, moved to Victoria in the early 1980s where their youngest two children, Michelle and Stevie, were born.
“The reason we made the move was because the Hawera council needed our property for some settling pools,” Payne said. “Back then they had sewage flowing through concrete pipes, and it was decided that they were no longer allowed to have them just flow out into the ocean without being treated.
“So they needed to build some settling pools, and they wanted to use our property for that. We came to an agreement with them, decided to head over to Australia and it all worked out.
“We initially made the move for two years, just to see how we go. When that time was up, I suggested it might be a good time to go back, because the dollar was worth $1.70 and we could do quite well out of that with the money we had.
“But my wife said, ‘No, I like it here – I think we should stay’. So that’s what we did. It all worked out in the end. The whole family really liked Australia and are happy here, and we’ve done well.”
Tragedy struck when Mary was killed in a car accident, leaving Payne to raise his 10 children, including Michelle, who was only six months old at the time, and Stevie, who has Down Syndrome.
Payne’s passion for racing rubbed off on his children, with the majority going on to carve out successful careers in the industry. Patrick Payne was his most successful child in the saddle, riding 936 winners, while Michelle rode 772. Their siblings also had success, with Brigid riding 41 winners, Maree 435, Andrew 166, Bernadette 188 and Cathy 219.
Sadly, Payne outlived two of his children, with Brigid passing away in 2007 when just 36, and in 2025 Bernadette died at the age of 51.
The family rose to worldwide fame following Michelle’s victory aboard Prince Of Penzance in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, with Stevie strapping the horse. Their achievements were immortalised in the 2019 movie Ride Like A Girl, in which Stevie played himself.
Payne passed away in his sleep on Tuesday morning.
"He passed away peacefully in his sleep, early this morning at home, he got to have his dying wish," his daughter, Therese, said in a statement on behalf of the Payne family.
"We feel he had a great life and we were happy he was comfortable. We hope he's joined our mum and brother and sisters."