Tom to climb the ladder in Sunshine State

By Jordan Gerrans

Tom Callaghan believes he has got the best of both worlds when it comes to his driving mentors.

At just 18 years of age, Tom has in recent weeks relocated to the Sunshine State to further his career as a reinsman.

He was quick to strike a blow in Queensland, landing a victory at Redcliffe behind Shackouttheback on Thursday.

Tom has started working for the leading training team in the state of Chantal Turpin and Pete McMullen.

The teenager is the younger brother of multiple Group 1-winning reinsman Jack Callaghan as well as being the son of trainer Mark Callaghan, who has driven in his time in the sport, as well. 

As Tom aims to climb the ladder in the driving ranks in the coming years, he plans to tap into all their knowledge as he builds into his career.

“He is one of the best – if not the best - drivers up here so I have tried to take a few things in slowly and I am sure over the coming months I will learn a lot more from him,” the youngster said of McMullen.

“He is great with his time and he is happy to help whenever I want.

“He will be a great help with me and my driving and that is the same with my brother.

“My brother and I talk a fair bit and he is always there for help when I need it about form or whatever. 

“It is the same with my dad – it is great to get those second thoughts.

“They are all great drivers and it was great watching them when I was growing up and hopefully I can drive as many winners as them one day.”

Jack is considered one of the top reinsmen in Australia and has seven Group 1s on his resume at just 23 years of age. 

Trainer Turpin and driver McMullen are in a commanding position when it comes to the metropolitan premiership in their own category this season in Queensland. 

Jack is well-known to local harness fans as the man who ended Leap To Fame’s brilliant winning sequence at Redcliffe in the Patron’s Purse behind District Attorney at the start of the 2024 Queensland Constellations.

The McMullen and Turpin team have booked Jack for interstate drives when they have sent horses south for campaigns as well, headlined by Wisper A Secret’s performance in the Discovery Stakes earlier this year.

The young horseman has travelled north recently when looking after horses for his father Mark.

That was when the idea for the move was sparked with McMullen. He says he is ‘absolutely loving’ the shift so far.

“I was planning on moving somewhere, potentially Menangle way, but I campaigned a few of my dad’s horses up here and I really enjoyed the racing and people up here,” the teenager said.

“When I was up here, Pete approached me and said that there was a job at their stable if I wanted it.

“They have got a lot of racehorses and I thought there would be a fair few drives there and there is not many claim drivers up here in Queensland either.

“I thought if I could get on a bit of a roll early on, I would pick up a few drives and I thought it was a good place to come up here.

“Chantal and Pete have a lot of babies as well so that’s important for me to be learning new things, working with young horses.

“It is a good opportunity up here for me.”

With almost 70 winners to his name already from three racing seasons, Tom added his first Queensland victory around Redcliffe’s ‘Triangle’ facility last week.

He was in the good books with his boss Turpin as he lifted race favourite Shackouttheback to score over 2040 metres.

“She had to race wide for a long time, probably a bit longer than I would have liked,” he said.

“I just had to grab hold of her for the first couple of hundred metres. I thought she was the best horse in the race and I did not think there was any point going back to last.

“I put her in the race and she was too strong for them. She raced really well.”

The three-year-old filly - Shackouttheback - has now won five of her 21 race day appearances and has a strong record at the Peninsula-based club.

While Tom will receive plenty of opportunities from the Turpin and McMullen combination, he will actively chase outside drives for other stables and is hopeful the Redcliffe result will get his name out there more.

He had three engagements in town on Saturday night, as well.