Noel ‘King Callow' and his daughter Stacey have created history landing the quinella twice in one day at the Gold Coast
What do you reckon "The King" – that's Noel Callow to you – was doing this morning after a routine double at "the picnics"- that's the Gold Coast races to him – on Saturday.
Well yes he was mowing lawns in the stables at Ken Russell Court across the road from his other workplace, Aquis Park – but not after getting daughter Stacey onto the mechanical horse for some coaching.
This, after the pair quinellaed two races at The Coast on Saturday – perhaps some historical achievement for father (48yo), and daughter (21yo). (We've got Les and Ash Beer as potential trendsetters but twice in one day?)
And just when you thought one Callow was enough – in and out of the saddle.
Stacey upstaged Noel when Baronessa ($9) outpaced $1.80 favourite What You Give, before The King turned the tables with Windjana ($3.90) nailing Milliffe ($5).
"I reckon if she pulled the stick through to her left hand and gave it one, she would have beaten me again" Callow senior said.
"I try to let her be and not smother her, but I got her on the mechanical horse this morning to give her a lesson. She's doing well, small steps, but I do get much more enjoyment out of watching her ride than anything I have ever done," Callow said – even when she beats him.
Callow should be some mentor, closing in on 2000 career wins, five Group 1's, global success and some adulation from fans and punters – you know the Malaysian line "over there I'm Brad Pitt, back here I am arm pit", but it's why he's "The King", but none of that bothers the modern day monarch.
"I'm semi-retired, life is good up here, ride the picnics on a Saturday for wages to pay for the Grey Goose, keep active, drive an Uber a couple of days a week and work at the track from 7am to 1pm three days a week, I'm behind the barriers tomorrow, 12 trials on the Poly," Callow says at his million miles an hour tempo.
Hardly sounds a regal life, but Callow wouldn't have it any other way. He marches to his own beat and those tunes are sometime a little out of rhythm, but that's Noel. Stuffiness or tradition is not for him. "Been there, done that, move on," he says like a mantra.
"The Picnics" – only Callow could get away with it, referring to the Gold Coast Saturday races where he plies his trade ("I only ride one day a week now"), the second tier meeting in Queensland any given weekend. "About Wangaratta Saturday standard," he calls them.
"I used to go to Brisbane for maybe a midweek or a rare Saturday but not now. Got stuck in traffic one day at Movie World coming back and thought ‘I never signed up for this shit', so it's just the picnics on a Saturday," confirming an offer to ride Giga Kick in The Everest or the favourite in the Cup would be similarly rejected.
"You know those trolleys at Coles," he says, as you think where is this heading?
"That's what it's like riding here, line up three or four at the top of the aisles and let them go, they are all over the shop. I just sit back and pounce and get my wages," Callow says.
So much so, and with three months sidelined due to historical betting infringements (on places like some nondescript greyhounds) late at night, that he still sits one win ahead on the Aquis Park jockey's premiership with just two meetings remaining.
He has 30 wins, apprentice Bailey Wheeler, who Callow anoints as the next big thing in the saddle – "He'll be riding winners in Sydney next season with his claim, he's a gun, a good kid," just one behind him.
Stacey joined Callow and wife Renee on the Gold Coast in March after a stint in Adelaide that netted her 40 winners.
"I used to shit myself watching her ride, I was so nervous, I'd be yelling at the television when I could see her doing things wrong or getting into bad positions, I've gotten better, I think," Callow said.
"Riding against her is different, I can look at what she's doing and in the end it was doing my head in, so I just had to adapt and get on with it.
"I'm actually rapt when she beats me, she wasn't though (rapt) when I beat her.
"But that's the sport, it can be very selfish, all about me me me, especially for the kids.
"I couldn't care less about anything I have done, watching her win at Shitsville or anywhere, that's a huge kick for me."
So Saturday night after racetrack history?
"No, I've got a routine, walk out of the track about 4.30, leave the gear until I go back to work Monday, we head over to Chevron Island for a couple of drinks and dinner, Sunday is family day, Stacey lives with us, we've sold up in Victoria, love it up here and things are going well," Callow says.
Except last Saturday night when Renee couldn't get an Uber from the track to Chevron. Callow called Stacey and asked where she was. "I had to give her $20 to come pick up her mother and take her over to the restaurant. Now I'm driving Ubers and paying Stacey to be one."
Yes, can you imagine lobbing at Coolangatta airport, booking an Uber and it's The King who turns up as your driver.
"I just wanted to keep active, hate sitting around, it's a bit of a head spin filling out all the paperwork to get an Uber license but I love it, it's easy money. I haven't run into anyone I know yet but next year I want to get a job as one of those drivers at Magic Millions, that would be fun," he said.
Which is why he is working as a groundsman also at Aquis Park, something he thoroughly makes the most of, in more ways than one, in typically Callow style.
"There might be a few cashies on the side," Callow cheekily hints about extending his routine mowing run outside those work bounds.
"It keeps me busy and I love it, I come and pick up my gear first thing Monday, give it a clean and get to work, I'm finished by one, but now I am also working behind the barriers, I'll be at the trials tomorrow, we've got 12 of them on the poly, it just keeps me ticking over."
Which means he will be keeping a closer eye on Stacey as well.
"Hopefully next season she can get to Brisbane, she needs to ride for the big stables, Gollan, Heathcote, O'Dea, Van Dyke, Waller, they get all the winner, but with her claim and more experience I reckon she will measure up."
One thing Callow would change is the payment system to apprentices in Queensland, where unlike other states where trust accounts hold money until their term is completed (other than Industry approved release for houses or cars or the like), in Queensland they get paid directly.
"You've got kids getting around here like rock stars in flash cars and living a flash life," Callow said.
"With Stacey I've told her to put 70 per cent into a bank account she can't touch, otherwise if they don't manage it properly they will end up with nothing and out of the game. I reckon that needs to be looked at."
As for Callow himself?
"I'm probably fading out slowly. I'll do it until I finally get sick of wasting which is still a pain in the arse, but in the meantime I will just enjoy my life."
Which means keeping the Callow family tree in the saddle alive, from his father Kevin through his own deeds and now gleefully watching Stacey's progress, just trying to keep the blood pressure down doing so.
