Callaghan has his eyes on the prize

As the 2022 New South Wales Breeders Challenge series draws to a close, the attention will turn to the upcoming summer harness racing calendar at many regional centres.

The Breeders Challenge for juvenile pacers has again proven to be extremely successful and will conclude with the Regional finals at Wagga and Newcastle on December 9.

The series kicked off back in September and produced some fairytale stories in the respective finals, and also proved that the sport is certainly in a healthy position.

On Thursday night (Nov. 24), Penrith will conduct regional qualifying heats for three-year-olds – two for fillies and one for colts and geldings.

Talented young reinsman Jack Callaghan has two very good drives in the heats, combining with trainer Belinda McCarthy and the filly Halsey Nicole (Bling It On) in race six and colt Muscle Bart (Shadow Play) in race seven.

Callaghan currently sits in second spot in the NSW Drivers’ Premiership, 21 wins in arrears of Cameron Hart.

And Callaghan concedes that with only five weeks of the 2022 season remaining he has a mountain to climb to eat into Hart’s unassailable lead.

With six drives at Penrith, Callaghan is hopeful that he can at least put a dent in the margin and believes that Halsey Nicole and Muscle Bart who are both well fancied in the betting markets can win.

“Both these youngsters appear to have great chances,” said Callaghan.

“Unfortunately, they have both drawn off the back line, but that could play in our favour as they are the only ones drawn on the second tier in the seven horse fields.”

It has been a really good season for Muscle Bart who ran third behind Leap To Fame in the Queensland Derby and has not been far away against the best of his age group throughout the Breeders Challenge series.

“His runs earlier this year were super and this campaign he has been right up there with the best,” said Callaghan.

“I feel that if he gets the right run, he will be winning. There are some smart ones drawn on the front row but hopefully his class will shine through.

“Halsey Nicole was runner up in her first four race starts before having no luck last time out at Menangle.”

It is a bumper 10-race program at Penrith that gets underway at 6:19pm with the Download The TAB App Pace.

For complete race fields, click here.

by Michael Dumesny, for HRNSW