Matamata jockey Trudy Thornton resumes her riding career tomorrow, less than six weeks after undergoing a caesarean section.
"It was my third caesarean so I suppose I've just got used to it," Thornton, 40, said this week as she cuddled baby Ben.
Thornton, formerly Trudy Collett, was riding 10 days after becominga mum.
"I didn't have to come back so soon, but I was up to it. I came through this one better than the other two," she said.
"I guess I should be just content being a mum, but just sitting around is something I can't do."
Thornton, the wife of jumps jockey Craig Thornton, said she would make her comeback to racing slowly, accepting four rides at Ellerslie tomorrow and two at Matamata on Sunday.
She was expecting some negative comments from people telling her she should be at home being a mother, but said she had also received a lot of support.
"I don't take a lot of notice of what people say. I always do what I want to. I always have.
"Some might say it's unfair on Ben, but anyone who knows me knows I'm a good mother and know his welfare comes first with me. They are fine as long as they are warm, happy and have got love."
Thornton began race riding at 18 in 1981 when it was still a male-dominated sport.
Since then racing, particularly galloping, has embraced female jockeys to the point where it is not rare to see half the winners at a race meeting ridden by female jockeys.
But none has enjoyed quite the same consistent success as Thornton, who has won races at the highest level and has ridden for New Zealand's top stables.
She has won 681 races in New Zealand - more than any other female jockey in this country - and showed she had lost none of her touch at Tuesday's Avondale trials, kicking home a winner, Hamish, trained by her husband.
"People see me as a tough person but being in the racing industry you have to be ... I enjoy my riding and enjoy working and I'll do that until I say so."
