<p>Noel Callow has returned to being a formidable metropolitan riding force, but says after he first arrived in Queensland many trainers thought he was in semi-retirement.</p> <p>He never was.</p> <p>But the larrikin jockey they call "King" - with five Aussie Group 1s to his name including the 2005 Victoria Derby - was riding at 58kg and comfortable enough competing on the provincial scene on the Gold Coast not far from his home.</p> <p>With big-race wins all over the world including a prolific stint in Singapore, Callow was still getting "white-line fever" and competing hard when the starter opened the barriers.</p> <p>But there was a chance his riding career would fade away, with a lack of opportunities and little window to get a go on the city riding scene.</p> <p>All that changed when a contact from his Singapore days - and some urging from friend and fellow rider Nash Rawiller - prompted him to redouble his efforts.</p> <p>Callow got a chance riding trackwork for Group 1 trainer Rob Heathcote in Brisbane and made the most of it, since becoming a regular fixture on the city riding scene.</p> <p>He has ridden with great success in recent times including scoring last Saturday's Queensland Guineas and riding an Eagle Farm treble the Saturday before.</p> <p>"I sold my houses in Melbourne and I thought I would move up here four years ago, ride at 58 (kg) and just enjoy my life on the Gold Coast," Callow said.</p> <p>"I did that for probably three years.</p> <p>"At some stages, they (trainers) wouldn't put me on their horses because they thought I was retired, they would rather put a young kid (jockey) on.</p> <p>"That was wrong, because when the barriers open I get white-line fever and do my thing.</p> <p>"But in their mind, they thought I was semi-retired and not having a go.</p> <p>"But a mate of mine from Singapore told me to really have a go and he got me an opportunity with Rob Heathcote.</p> <p>"It snowballed from there and I said to my wife, 'I'm really going to have a crack, I'm not getting any younger'.</p> <p>"And here we are now."</p> <p>Callow also recounted the time, about two years ago, when he met Rawiller for lunch on the Gold Coast.</p> <p>"Nash gave me a (verbal) spray in front of my wife," Callow said.</p> <p>"He said to me that he thought that I had given up.</p> <p>"I said 'no, I haven't, I'm just happy to poke along'.</p> <p>"Nash said I was the fiercest bloke I ever rode against when we were younger."</p> <p>Callow, who has ridden 34 city winners this season, will partner Just Folk for Victorian trainer Gavin Bedggood in the Group 2 Hollindale Stakes (1800m) on the Gold Coast on Saturday.</p> <p>He has two-year-old colt Fabulantes for Heathcote as a strong chance in the Ken Russell Memorial Classic among his book of rides.</p> <p>Callow might be riding at the Gold Coast on Saturday - but the metropolitan carnival meeting carries much more clout than the provincial meetings he rode at on the same track for years.</p> <p>"I am fitter now and riding at a lower weight and I have now put myself in the top five jockeys in Queensland, especially since James Orman moved to Hong Kong," Callow said.</p> <p>"I'm there to be picked."</p> <p>Callow's best winning chance on Saturday looks to be favourite Wanda Rox in the Bat Out Of Hell scamper over 1000m.</p>