'Iron Man' Callan Lives up to Tough Nickname | Hk Racing

Neil Callan seems to be making a habit of reconfirming his "Iron Man" nickname and was at it again yesterday, finishing up on the ground before the fifth race after nobody seemed to mention that his ride, Acumen, prefers company.

The jockey was taking Acumen around to the start when the gelding spotted a way home through the trotting ring at the north eastern end of the track and headed for it.

"He was going straight for the fence so I bailed out but it wouldn't have mattered - if I'd stayed on him I'd have ended up getting tipped off anyway because just before he was going to hit the rail, he ducked sharply sideways," Callan said, nursing a sore hip later, but Acumen was quickly caught and walked around to contest the race. "It was my first time on the horse and afterwards, everyone - the trainer, the assistant trainer - they told me I should have got the pony like they do for the barrier trials and he never gives a problem. Would have been nice to know beforehand."

Champions & Chater Cup day was a good one for Callan last year when he won the feature and while he wasn't able to repeat that, he did make it two from two down the straight on a very promising three-year-old called Bayonet for Danny Shum Chap-shing.

"I never intended to lead because I thought the ones outside me would hold me out but he jumped better today than first-up, showed good speed and nobody looked that interested in leading so I went on all the way to the rail," Callan said.

"He gave me a good kick again and never gave the others much of a look in. I like the horse - he's very straight forward and simple and that gives him good scope for the future. He's only been down the straight so far but I think, next season, 1,200m won't be a problem for him."

Adding merit to the win, Bayonet scoped with blood in his throat after the race.

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