Top female jockey puts thriving career on immediate hold to start a family

One of France’s top jockeys has put her career on immediate hold to become a mother.

Maryline Eon, 31, has ridden more than 500 winners and enjoyed her most successful campaign in the saddle during 2024.

With a haul of 84 winners and more than £1 million in prize-money earned, she finished 14th in her country’s Flat jockeys’ championship.

Last Friday she competed in Saudi Arabia’s International Jockeys Challenge in Riyadh, featuring seven of the world’s top male and female riders, where she was the defending champion having scooped the contest in 2024.

This time she finished tenth in the competition which was won by local jockey Mohammed Aldaham.

Eon, who has credited her rise in France to the introduction of an allowance for female riders, has ridden 12 winners at home in 2025.

But on her return to France she declared she would be taking no more riding commitments for the foreseeable future.

She told Equidia, "It's a decision that my partner and I made and that was carefully considered.

“We wanted to have a child. I had prepared for it and I also knew that I would have to put my professional career on hold. We have been waiting for this for a while, so I intend to devote myself fully to my role as a future mother."

Eon has been riding for 14 years. She has enjoyed graded race success in the jumps sphere while on the Flat has ridden in Classics.

She will be giving up the mount on the unbeaten three-year-old Pure Legend, who has entries in both the French 2,000 Guineas and French Derby, to start a family.

She continued: "I have had some great opportunities in recent seasons, riding for prestigious teams like Juddmonte Farms or Al Shaqab Racing, thanks in particular to Henri-François Devin, for whom I think I rode one of the best horses of my career, with the two-year-old Pure Legend.

“And I will not forget those to whom I owe my success. Joël Boisnard especially, who launched my career, Alain Couétil and Adrien Fouassier too.

“Michel Chartier, my agent, allowed me to change gear in terms of rides and I owe him a lot. I would like to warmly thank all the people who have contributed to building my career."