- An Australian top jockey practices as an Uber driver
- Noel Callow has been suspended over a series of betting incidents
- He says he has found his second calling as a taxi driver
A top Australian jockey has swapped the saddle for the handlebars after finding taxi driving his second calling.
Noel Callow, a Group 1 winning jockey with 1,562 career victories, decided to become an Uber driver after receiving another major ban from stewards.
The 48-year-old was handed a three-month ban and fined almost $5,000 after placing a number of bets on horses, and decided to become a groundsman at the Gold Coast Turf Club during another long break.
But he has since discovered that being behind the wheel of a taxi gives him the most pleasure, with the jockey nicknamed ‘The King’ now an Uber driver.
Callow told A Current Affair: ‘Well everyone needs to make a dollar and I like to keep busy, why not drive with Uber?
Noel Callow has explained how he ended up becoming an Uber driver
“I was out of work for three months and thought, why not try Uber?
“So I did it and I didn’t know if I would like it, but I love it.
’You meet some interesting people and I really enjoy doing it.’
Callow enjoyed great success racing in Singapore, Macau and Mauritius, but he did not compete in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup, which was won by Mark Zahra in Without A Fight.
Zahra, 41, won nearly $500,000 for taking home the top prize.
“I’m Brad Pitt in Asia and I’m Armpit in Australia,” Callow joked.
Callow (right) has competed in the Melbourne Cup and has won 1,562 career races
He even paid a fare to drive a passenger from the Gold Coast to Brisbane before winning a race at Doomben that same day.
Callow added that he tries to block out thoughts of the inherent danger that racing brings.
“Because if you think about it, it’s time to hang up the boots,” he said.
’If you think about it, I think it’s the only sport where two ambulances follow you to work.’