Racing great on how to avoid ‘silly mistakes’

She may have stepped away as a jockey and retired from the tracks, but it isn’t stopping Michelle Payne from soaking up the sun and cheering on her favourites at the Melbourne Cup this year.

Swapping out her jodhpurs for a sculpted saffron gold mini dress from Jason Grech, the Australian jockey looked regal in the Birdcage as she prepared for the ract that stops the nation.

While she may not be riding professionally anymore, the superstar jockey has some words of inspiration for the others about the mount their horses.

“You’ve always got to dream big,” she said with a knowing smile.

“Don’t set yourself any limits, because anything is possible.”

Hard work and persistence is the key to breaking through the barriers, both on and off the field, with Ms Payne explaining the best way to stay in control is to remain calm.

Naturally, this is easier said than done, though she has a few tricks up her sleeve.

“It’s just another race once you get out there,” she told NewsWire.

“The main thing is you don’t let the occasion get to you and stay focused.”

It’s without these tips that “silly mistakes” can happen, which could cost the jockey their race.

“It’s just about how you maintain yourself; you stay focused,” she said.

Aside from her physical strength, which is one of the most essential factors of succeeding in the Cup, Ms Payne prefers to add an extra layer of protection by staying “overprepared”.

“I think if you go in there overprepared, you don’t feel nervous,” she said.

“You know everything you want to do. After that, as a jockey, you know it’s left in god’s hands, really, because you need a bit of luck to go your way.”

Sometimes she will extend a “little prayer” to her mother, who died when she was a baby. This way, she feels as though her loved ones are with her as she rides to victory; “they help me be the lucky one,” she said.

“I think it’s lovely to have that presence, and make you feel as though you have someone riding with you.”