Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne told doubters to "get stuffed" after riding Prince of Penzance to victory on Tuesday.
Payne became the first female jockey to win the famous race, riding the huge outsider to a shock victory at Flemington.
The jockey revealed some of the horse's owners did not want her to ride before sending a message to critics.
"To think that (trainer) Darren Weir has given me a go and it's such a chauvinistic sport, I know some of the owners were keen to kick me off," Payne told Channel Seven.
"John Richards and Darren stuck strongly with me, and I put in all the effort I could and galloped him all I could because I thought he had what it takes to win the Melbourne Cup and I can't say how grateful I am to them.
"I want to say to everyone else, get stuffed, because women can do anything and we can beat the world."
Payne, 30, said she knew she would one day win the race in Melbourne.
"This is everybody's dream as a jockey in Australia and now probably the world," she said.
"And I dreamt about it from when I was five years old and there is an interview from my school friends, they were teasing me about.
"When I was about seven, and I said, 'I'm going to win the Melbourne Cup,' and they always give me a bit of grief about it and I can't believe we've done it."