The Payne Family Of Miners Rest Poem by Francis Duggan

The amazing Payne Family of Miners Rest
Paddy Payne snr and his family of jockeys and horse trainers Australia's best
Known horse racing family and famed Worldwide
Beyond the suburb of Ballarat City in Victoria's countryside

Long before the youngest of the family Michelle became the first and only woman jockey to win the Melbourne Cup on a one hundred to one chance
On the now famous racehorse known as Prince of Penzance
In horse racing the Paynes of Miners Rest were a famous name
It did seem indeed they were born into fame

With fame in life there too can be tragedy
And luck it was not always with the Payne family
Their mother Mary and their sister Brigid as young women in a tragic way died
With the Payne family luck not always on their side

The Payne family of Miners Rest are living legends today
One can say of them they came up the hard way
In thoroughbred circles Worldwide they are held in high esteem
Though fame it too can come ataprice it does seem.