How the race was won: "My whole body was numb"

The countdown to Tuesday November 6, 2015 began two and a half years ago for Michelle Payne.

The day she picked Prince of Penzance. She went with her gut.

"I can't figure out what it is but just the feel of getting them in your hands to soften and relax and that they want to run for you."

"I picked him out so long ago, two and a half years ago."

"He gave me the feeling that he was good enough for the Melbourne Cup."

Already having run in a Melbourne Cup in 2009, she was ready for the challenge again, only this time she planned to win.

And who better to tackle it with but a Kiwi horse paying 100-1?

Their journey to the top was one of mutual trust and respect and, Michelle says, one with few setbacks thanks to Melbourne trainer Darren Weir.

"His only disappointing run was on the track at Caufield and the track was quite firm and I think he just looked after himself. He knew it was too firm for him and I obviously didn't push him through the pain of that."

Before every race, Michelle walks the track – works out her line.

Then she listens to Pat Benatar's "All Fired Up".

She said her brother and strapper Stevie helped her relax, joking he had put money on her and she'd "better not get beat'.

"To see Stevie to lead me in was probably the most special moment of the whole race."

Prince of Penzance was 'eerily' quiet and calm.

"I had to stop and pause and thought 'this is unbelievable', too good to be true."

She and Prince were the first to be loaded at the start line in Barrier One, picked by Stevie.

Keeping Prince relaxed and calm during the rest of the loading was her biggest challenge.

"The crowd was obviously pretty noisy and he didn't seem to care at all just once again I couldn't believe like, 'is this for real like this is the Melbourne cup'."

"Sometimes you can feel it when they are so balanced and ready to go."

They jumped away last.

Desperate to get into position Prince lost rhythm, but only for a moment.

"He was a little bit keen going down the straight the first time, he put his head up."

They turned onto the back straight and things began to fall into place. Prince had a strong rhythm and was breathing steadily.

Max Dynamite, the second place winner, and Criterion, the third place winner, were directly in front of them heading to the 1200 metre mark,

"Two or 300 meters later, I don't know how it happened but it just sort of opened up."

"I just pinched myself like this is the Melbourne cup and I think I am about to win it."

She took her chance and shortly after nudging out Criterion the home stretch was ahead.

"I was like 'now just wait as long as you can', Darren told me to count to 10."

"I couldn't even think about counting to 10 … but I waited as long as I could, had him balanced.
|caption=Michelle in training |size=O]]

"Soon as I felt it was enough I let him loose and he sprinted like I couldn't believe."

It was a dream come true.

"My whole body was numb, I just couldn't believe it and I just wanted to cuddle him and pat him and just so grateful for the effort that he had put in."

An emotional embrace with her proud brother became the press highlight of the day.

"I have never seen Stevie emotional in his whole life ever and I was like 'oh my god don't lose it'."

"When they said hold up the Cup and I was like 'oh my god how embarrassing… ugh, just going to have to go with it now!"