Michelle and Patrick Payne Split Training Partnership After Fatal Crash

Five days after a horse transport truck rolled off an embankment near Meredith, Victoria, killing driver Peter Butler and three of their horses, Melbourne Cup winner Michelle Payne and her brother Patrick announced they are dissolving Payne Racing, effective April 1.

The joint statement, released Friday night, was direct: "We wish to inform you that Patrick and Michelle have decided to dissolve the current training partnership as of April 1, 2026. This has been a thoughtful decision made with the future in mind, and we are grateful for the support you have given us while training together."

Butler died on March 16 when the South West Horse Transport truck he was driving rolled onto its roof and went over an embankment 46 kilometres northwest of Geelong. Emergency services treated him at the scene but could not save him. Three Payne Racing horses were killed in the same crash; one source also reported five additional horses were injured.

In her personal Instagram post, Michelle wrote: "Our prayers are with Pete and the Southwest Company who have done an amazing job for so many years and our hearts break for all their family. A tragic accident and awful for all." Payne Racing also named Butler's colleagues Troy, Bruce and Brooke in its condolence statement, adding: "Peter brought character and laughter to our jumpout mornings, and he will be sorely missed as a regular at our stable."

The partnership being dissolved lasted roughly 16 months. It began in late 2024, the same year Michelle retired from riding after guiding Patrick's horses to 94 wins across her career. In that brief window as co-trainers, the pair produced 41 winners from 315 runners, with Smokin' Princess taking the Jockey Acknowledgement Plate at Flemington in January 2025 among the stable's notable results.

Going forward, Patrick will operate out of Plumpton under the banner of Patrick Payne Racing, retaining the full training operation and all horses at his current property. Michelle, who won the 2015 Melbourne Cup aboard rank outsider Prince of Penzance and recorded her first training win in 2018, will scale back significantly: the statement confirmed she will work closer to her father and retain a smaller team of horses in Ballarat.

The statement closed with a note aimed at owners navigating the transition: "Our priority is to make this transition as smooth and straightforward as possible for both owners and horses.