Written by Vicky Leonard
There are likely few harsher critics than racing people watching a horse racing movie, so Ride Like A Girl had a bunch of tough markers when ten of us headed to the Sydney Premiere on Monday evening.
The evening kicked off with Rachel Griffiths saying a few words about her inspiration for the movie, which was triggered whilst watching the 2015 Melbourne Cup at a friend’s house. Rachel specifically thanked Magic Millions’ Katie Page Harvey for getting the film off the ground. No doubt the storyline appealed to Katie’s broader goal of increasing women’s participation in horse racing, aligned closely with successful initiatives by Magic Millions.
Interestingly, the screen actors guild rewards investment in Australian movies that are directed and produced by a woman, with a woman protagonist. So there was no better script than a true Australian battler who worked her way up to the ultimate prize.
Michelle’s back story was one I am ashamed to admit I hadn’t read about in detail prior to the film, other than she grew up in a large, famous racing family. But it didn’t take long for the film to expose realities of an existence that moulded Michelle, the youngest of ten, into the incredibly resilient woman she grew up to become.
One can only imagine the trauma associated with losing a parent at six months old, and the challenges presented to Paddy Payne thereafter having to raise ten children, only for the family to lose sister and daughter Brigid in her 30s in a race fall.
Michelle’s injuries following a dreadful accident at age sixteen, simply handed her another obstacle to climb over and forge the level of determination required to stand out in a man’s sport, the Sport of Kings.
The movie brought many to tears and everyone to excitement, when - despite obviously knowing the outcome - the crowd whooped, hollered and clapped as Michelle and Prince of Penzance found that gap and took out the Cup.
Stevie played his own role beautifully, bringing emotion, humour and an intimate level of humanism to the family dynamic.
Michelle and Stevie Payne celebrate after winning the Melbourne Cup in 2015
The race footage was well edited, cutting between actual footage from the race and close ups shot on set. It created a very realistic setting for a horse race, well produced, in what is likely a producer's toughest challenge.
The film-maker's toughest challenge no doubt occurred in January this year, when Darren Weir was outed for four years following the discovery of a jigger on his property. However, thankfully, his character in the film was minor - perhaps thanks to a prompt re-edit - and the story flowed around him smoothly.
One may say that Damien Oliver received an Oscar of his own in the film, with his stand-in actor punching in at massive overs.
And although the horses seemed to whinny far more frequently than I’ve heard outside a covering shed and didn’t quite have the gleaming coats one would expect in a field of Melbourne Cup runners, technically it was hard to find fault in the film.
The only one lodging a protest should be Kerrin McEvoy, whose actor didn’t exactly do him justice in the appearance department.
It’s hard not to feel enthusiastic about a film when the audience around you is laughing, clapping and gasping at all the right moments. This is a movie that the racing fraternity should be proud of and widely endorsing to their family and friendship networks - a positive film about a positive story is exactly the kind of promotion our industry needs.
Watch: Ride Like A Girl official trailer
