The Gore feature was the fourth consecutive race win for Callaway and the Stephen Blair-Edie trained He Ain’t Heavy. Achieving his 200th win in Blair-Edie’s colours gave the moment even more meaning, Callaway said.
"To win on a horse I have always liked . . . this was my seventh win on him and it is also my 200th winner. It’s been quite emotional.
"It means a lot to me and Stephen has been a big supporter of mine.
"To win on a horse like that for someone that has been there for me through good and bad times has been wonderful."
Come Fly With Me, also from Blair-Edie’s Riverton barn, has been another big contributor to Callaway’s 200 tally, with eight wins.
After success as a North Island apprentice, Callaway moved to Christchurch during the 2010-11 season.
Fast-forward to the present and the jockey has established himself as one of the South Island’s most senior riders, and he had no plans to go back home or anywhere else, he said.
After getting back to third-last in the Tapanui Cup, Callaway started what would be a long, sustained winning run with He Ain’t Heavy approaching the 800m.
After looping the field the horse gathered in the leader, Can You Hear Me, and was a length clear at the post.
The horse’s four consecutive wins have Callaway in no doubt that He Ain’t Heavy’s next step up into the open handicap ranks will not bother the horse.
"I don’t think so. Last year I would have said he would not go an inch on a firm track, but this year he has grown another leg," he said.
"Now he is just a different horse and can go on any tracks."
The Blair-Edie and Callaway combination will be back in action again at Wingatui today.
Wild Jack will have his first start on the track in race 1 (a rating 85 over 1600m) after running fifth at Invercargill in his last start.
Southern Jazz has his first start in race 2 (1200m) and Nesta lines up for the pair in race 3, an open handicap over 2200m.
Last-start runner-up He’s Mi Brother starts for the Blair Edie and Callaway combination in race 7, a rating 65 sprint. Nightcap continued to take give his new owners a great introduction to racing by winning the opening race at Gore on Sunday. The horse was bought for a modest price in an online auction by Robert Dennis, who trains her in partnership with his father, Tony Dennis, and uncles Ray, Martin and Joe Dennis at Woodlands.
Nightcap was then syndicated and many of the her owners, who are mainly Robert Dennis’ old school friends and family friends, are new to racing.
Since her purchase the Roc De Cambes 4yr-old has won three of her five starts and looks destined to progress to the open handicap grade.
The stable will be represented at Wingatui today by The Sparkle in race 2 and The Lustre in race 5.
