NOEL CALLOW IN COMEBACK MODE. GETTING READY TO ROCK AND ROLL

By Graham Potter | Saturday, February 4, 2023

He’s been well out of the public eye while serving a three month suspension, but you would have the wrong idea if you think you have heard the last of multiple Group 1 winning jockey Noel Callow.

As he watched the rain falling and prepared himself to go out and work as a barrier attendant behind the gates at today’s meeting at the Gold Coast, Callow made it quite clear that he will be back in the saddle soon ... and he’s got the date already pencilled in.

“Yeah, I will be riding again,” confirmed Callow. “I’ll be back riding on February 25 ... at the Gold Coast ... here on the Poly.

“I got three months and a $4500 fine for something that happened nine years ago,” continued Callow, shaking his head. “They took my job away and then expected me to find $4500 ... but, anyway, that’s why I am out at the moment.”

Callow, meantime, quite literally, hasn’t been letting the grass grow under his feet during his time away from race riding.

“I work at the Gold Coast Turf Club Monday to Friday ... and then, on Saturday’s I come in and do the barriers and help load them in.”

It’s a job Callow already had before his suspension.

Mowing lawns, cutting hedges, pulling weeds, planting flowers etc ... it’s all in a day’s work for Callow, who stated in a previous interview, “I didn’t know there was so much to do behind the scenes. There are various jobs. Mostly I mow lawns. I do try to get out of the really hard ones ... but I do enjoy myself.”

Maybe not as much as he enjoys riding winners ... and Callow is already priming himself to get that scoreboard moving again.

“In three weeks-time, I’ll be out there riding winners again,” said Callow, typically never short of confidence.

One incentive Callow will have when returns to action will be to defend his Gold Coast Jockey’s Premiership title which he claimed in clearcut fashion last season.

He currently sits in third spot, ten winners behind the Gold Coast Premiership leader (the now retired Robbie Fradd) and two winners behind Jag Guthmann-Chester.
No doubt that chase will be well and truly on ... and we all know how hard Callow is to beat if it comes down to a driving finish.

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