Tiffani Brooker, Stephanie Thornton, Leah Kilner and more dominating racing
Queensland’s top female talents continue to make inroads into the racing industry with highlight wins becoming a regular occurrence. See the women leading the charge:
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A group of talented female jockeys are fast establishing themselves as industry leaders, shaking up what was once a male-dominated ‘sport of kings’.
Top hoop Stephanie Thornton says what were once celebrated as rare milestones are becoming commonplace as more and more women claim wins week-in, week-out on southeast Queensland racetracks.
In 1979, after campaigning against her male counterparts for more than a decade, Pam O‘Neill was granted a jockey’s licence at the age of 34 and rode a treble of winners on debut as she became Australia’s first female jockey.
During her stellar riding career O’Neill piloted more than 400 winners and served as a role model to female riders across the country.
Now, Queensland’s leading superstars are continuing to raise the bar and top jockey Stephanie Thornton said it’s great to see the industry expanding further.
“I think that the racing industry as a whole is forever growing and changing so it’s great to see those developments in the industry from women all around,” she said.
“I think seeing the numbers change speaks volumes to how the industry is changing and it’s a topic that’s soon starting to become something that’s a little less demeaning to women because I think we’ve really shown strength in the industry.”
She said female jockeys winning races is a much more regular occurrence.
“It’s a topic that is spoken about less in the sense that it’s not so much we get a fair go but proving we actually are on equal terms with the males,” she said.”
We’ve taken an in-depth look at Queensland's top female jockeys and how they’re performing at the Sunshine Coast this season:
Leading five SEQ female jockeys
Tiffani Brooker
Starts 144 – 1st 22, 2nd 13, 3rd 14 – Win 15.3%, Place 34%.
Brooker is the leading the charge for her female counterparts as she has had the most starts at the Sunshine Coast track ahead of any other jockey this season.
She sits tied in second place with Queensland heavyweight Ryan Maloney and is proving herself against the elite competition.
After a tough start to her senior riding career Brooker has reached new heights this season with the average winning odds of $10.98.
She said her work off the track with a personal trainer, a strict diet and speaking with a psychologist have all contributed towards her success.
Stephanie Thornton
Starts 103 – 1st 11, 2nd 8, 3rd 6 – Win 10.7%, Place 26.2%.
Top Queensland rider and Stephanie Thornton has once again taken her talents to new heights this season forming a strong bond with leading trainer Tony Gollan.
The 22-year-old has been able to entrench herself within Gollans tight circle of jockeys which sees the pair boast one of the best strike-rates in Queensland.
Thornton has picked up 16 of her total 36 wins when riding for Gollan’s stable this season.
Leah Kilner
Starts 84 – 1st 15, 2nd 6, 3rd 14 – Win 17.9%, Place 41.7%.
After practically being “born into the racing industry,” Leah Kilner sits in third position on the Metropolitan apprentices table behind Jaden Lloyd and Kyle Wilson-Taylor.
Before making the move to Queensland permanent last season Kilner would often drive from Grafton to ride at the Sunshine Coast on a Sunday afternoon.
After showing promise in Queensland at the end of the 2020/2021 racing season Kilner was able to land a deal with Group One-winning trainer Rob Heathcote as the pair have now established themselves as a proven combination.
The duo currently share a strike rate of 18.6 and 48.4 per cent from 118 starts.
Samantha Collett
Starts 86 – 1st 7, 2nd 12, 3rd 7 – Win 8.1%, Place 30.2%.
Star New Zealand jockey Samantha Collett made the decision in October, 2021 to call Queensland home and the former premiership-winning hoop hasn’t looked back.
Seemingly with the world at her feet in New Zealand, Collett, who is a cousin to well-known siblings Jason and Alysha Collett in Sydney, was looking for a change of scenery and has kept her head down since arriving in the sunshine state.
Collett also fulfilled a lifelong dream of riding on the world stage after accepting an invitation to compete in the super-rich Saudi Cup jockeys’ challenge at Riyadh in February.
Angela Jones
Starts 23 – 1st 3, 2nd 5, 3rd 3 – Win 13%, Place 47.8%.
Angela Jones is one female rider that is keeping her options open as she continues to impress industry pundits all over Queensland.
The 20-year-old apprentice jockey sits in third position on the Provincial apprentices table behind Zac Lloyd and Jasmine Cornish.
After only beginning her race riding career in October, 2020, Jones has gone from strength to strength on the track.
Jones was also apart of the female riders that rode the entire card at a Saturday Toowoomba race meet in November 2021, a feat that had only been accomplished twice at an Australian TAB meeting.
Notable mentions
Melea Castle
Starts 47 – 1st 5, 2nd 3, 3rd 4 – Win 10.6%, Place 25.5%.
Wendy Peel
Starts 36 – 1st 1, 2nd 2, 3rd 8 – Win 2.8%, Place 30.6%.
Georgina Cartwright
Starts 28 – 1st 2, 2nd 4, 3rd 3 – Win 7.1%, Place 32.1%.
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