- A top Aussie jockey plies his trade as an Uber driver
- Noel Callow has been banned for a string of bets
- He says he has found his second calling driving cabs
A top Australian jockey has swapped the saddle for the steering wheel after finding his second calling in cab driving.
Noel Callow, a Group 1-winning jockey who has racked up 1,562 career victories, decided to become an Uber driver after copping yet another big ban from stewards.
The 48-year-old was hit with a three-month suspension and fined nearly $5,000 after placing a number of bets on horses, and decided to become a groundsman at the Gold Coast Turf Club during another prolonged break.
But he has since found that getting behind the wheel of a cab has given him the most joy, with the jockey nicknamed ‘The King’ now an Uber driver.
Callow told A Current Affair: ‘Well everyone’s gotta make a dollar and I like being busy, why not drive Uber?
Noel Callow has explained how he ended up becoming an Uber driver
‘I was out of work for three months and I thought why not give Uber a try?
‘So I did it and I didn’t know whether I’d like it, but I love it.
’You meet some interesting people and I really enjoy doing it.’
Callow enjoyed huge success racing in Singapore, Macau and Mauritius, but he did not compete in the Melbourne Cup on Tuesday, which was won by Mark Zahra on Without A Fight.
Zahra, 41, won close to $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 picked up a fare for driving 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 involved in racing.
‘Because when you start thinking about it, it’s time to hang up the boots,’ he said.
’If you do think about it, I guess it’s the only sport where two ambulances follow you around at work.’