A top jockey has been banned for three months after he was involved in a physical alteration.
Larrakin jockey Noel Callow was handed the suspension after he followed Kyle Wilson-Taylor into the Jockey’s room during a race meet at Doomben before an alleged physical altercation took place, a steward’s report has written.
Both jockeys had found themselves under investigation following the incident which took place at Doomben on May 28.
The Queensland Racing and Integrity Commission have now revealed that Callow, 50, was charged by stewards with conduct that is detrimental to the interests of racing.
He subsequently pled guilty to the charge via his legal counsel, who also submitted evidence that Callow has undertaken an anger management course and shown remorse over the incident, factors which appear to have lessened his sanction.
Following an inquiry, the events that led to the shock altercation inside the jockey’s room can now be revealed.
Aussie jockey Noel Callow (pictured) has been handed a three month suspension from racing after a physical altercation between him and another rider
A stewards inquiry said that Kyle Wilson-Taylor (right) had been followed into the jockey’s room by Callow
Stewards noted that tensions between the pair had emerged leading into the race meet.
The pair had presented themselves to stewards for their mandatory weigh-ins after both had participated in Race 6 at Doomben.
Wilson-Taylor took to the scales first with Callow waiting behind him.
The latter then ‘positioned himself in close proximity to Wilson-Taylor’ with the 25-year-old jockey ‘making contact’ with Callow, an established Grade 1 rider, as he attempted to leave the scales.
It is understood that Wilson-Taylor – who had placed ninth in the race, one spot behind Callow – told the latter: ‘I’m not scared of you.’
The inquiry reports that Callow followed him into the jockey’s rooms after completing his weigh-in.
Callow ‘made aggressive contact to Wilson-Taylor from behind’ sparking the physical confrontation.
The pair are understood to have both fallen to the ground where ‘Wilson-Taylor has struck Callow twice to the head whilst positioned on top of the 50-year-old rider’.
Wilson-Taylor (left, pictued with Frankie Dettorri, centre) insisted he was not the aggressor in the matter
It is understood that other riders and a steward were forced to separate the pair.
Callow, who has racked up 1,633 career victories, five of which have come in Group 1 races, made several submissions to the Commission.
Among the submissions, his counsel explained: ‘Jockeys compete in a highly charged and competitive environment. Emotions and tempers can flare. Here, both riders considered that the other had made errors of one kind or another in recent race-riding. Adrenalin runs high and momentary loss of temper can occur.’
They added that the exchange had deescalated within 15 to 20 seconds while adding that the incident had taken place in private, rather than in public.
Callow is also understood to have apologised in writing.
‘This was not an incident thought out and planned beforehand,’ the submission added. ‘It was a momentary loss of temper, and any penalty should reflect that.
‘The conduct was out of character with Callow’s conduct over recent times and, is unlikely to be repeated. He has shown insight by taking steps to seek assistance with anger management. He has apologised in writing by his letter dated 31 May 2025.’
It is understood that Wilson-Taylor will not face a sanction on the matter.
Callow (pictured) claimed he has undergone anger management a point that the commission took into consideration when handing down the sanction
The Commission stated that Callow (left) was the ‘sole instigator of the altercation between himself and Wilson-Taylor’
That means he is free to race in this weekend’s meeting on the Sunshine Coast and will compete in the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap on Saturday.
The young jockey has risen through the ranks after working as an apprentice in Queensland. It came after he enjoyed a breakthrough year in 2023, winning the Tatt’s Tiara with Palaisipan to bank $522,000.
Callow’s ban has been backdated to the day that the incident occurred. He was unable to continue to participate in Race 7 at Doomben but was scrubbed from the starters list by doctors after they deemed him unfit to ride. He was taken to hospital for medical treatment with the inquiry confirming he had sustained a concussion.
The Commission then revealed its reasoning for handing down a three-month suspension, writing: ‘The Panel finds that Mr Callow was the sole instigator of the altercation between himself and Mr Wilson-Taylor.
‘This happened firstly by Mr Callow positioning himself in close proximity to Mr Wilson-Taylor whilst in the scales area resulting in Mr Wilson-Taylor contacting Mr Callow in order to leave the scales after being weighed in by Steward Fletcher. Secondly, and as is the subject of the charge issued, by running after and aggressively making physical contact from behind to Mr Wilson-Taylor in the male jockey’s room causing the physical altercation.’
They add: ‘Whilst Mr Callow may have momentarily lost his temper, he had the opportunity whilst weighing in after Mr Wilson-Taylor to consider a different course of action than the one he took regardless of how frustrated and angered he may have been after the race.’
After noting that the physical confrontation posed a risk to those around them and themselves, the stewards added: ‘Stewards recognised that any revocation of licence would have a financial impact on Mr Callow however, offences of this nature are unacceptable and cannot be condoned by the industry or industry regulators, in this case QRIC stewards. It is conduct that has the potential to cause harm to individuals and is detrimental to the image of racing. Any such behaviour must be deterred.
‘Stewards acknowledge that any penalty arrived at by stewards is not about punishment but is to be of a nature that provides specific deterrence to Mr Callow to not repeat such conduct and to provide a general deterrence to the wider industry that conduct of this nature is not acceptable.
‘Given that Mr Callow has provided evidence that he has undertaken an anger management course along with his genuine remorse does go to his credit in determining an appropriate penalty. It is hoped that Mr Callow would not find himself before the stewards again for such conduct.’
