Darwin Cup Winner Returns to Racing After Maternity Leave

Jessie Philpot was galloping toward the finish line in Alice Springs just four months after giving birth, proving that becoming a mother doesn't mean stepping away from your dreams.

The 15-year racing veteran made headlines in 2021 as the first female jockey to win the prestigious Darwin Cup. Last year, she quietly made history again by becoming the first jockey in the Northern Territory to take maternity leave, welcoming her daughter Harper six months ago.

"I was actually the first female jockey in the NT to have a baby, so we had to work a little bit of stuff out," Philpot said. The rules required her to stop riding at 12 weeks pregnant, after which Thoroughbred Racing NT covered her maternity leave and superannuation until she qualified for federal parental leave.

Just five years ago, jockeys couldn't access maternity leave at all because most worked as sole traders. The industry changed its rules, though paternity leave still isn't offered.

Why This Inspires

Philpot's return to racing sends a powerful message to female athletes everywhere. Her quick comeback, winning races just months after giving birth, shows what's possible when workplaces support mothers instead of sidelined them.

"A lot of women have had babies around Australia that are jockeys and most of them come back and come back to what they used to be," Philpot said with characteristic humility.

Andrew O'Toole, CEO of Thoroughbred Racing NT, said her experience matters beyond just one person. About half a dozen other female riders in the territory now know they can plan families without abandoning their careers.

"I'm sure that seeing Jess was looked after, as she should be, will give the others confidence that if they get to that stage of their life where they want to have a baby, there's nothing stopping them," O'Toole said.

The racing industry has come a long way from the days when people doubted whether women had the strength or skill to compete. Female jockeys now make up nearly half of NT's riders, and some of the world's top jockeys are women.

For Philpot, the focus stays on what she loves: "There's no better feeling than riding winners."