TOP jockey Neil Callan is set to make his comeback in Britain next week.
The BHA are finally ready to grant him his licence again after he made the decision to move back from Hong Kong.
Callan, 42, spent 11 years in the Far East after plying his trade from an early age in Britain.
But with his family growing up, Callan is now ready for a final hurrah back on home soil and he can’t wait to get stuck in.
He said: “I’ve finally got the thumbs-up it looks like, which is great news. I have one or two box-ticking exercises, a few modules to do and then it’s sorted.
“People have been more worried about it than I am but I’ve been happy to be patient so long as I knew nothing was going on behind the scenes. I’ve been fine playing golf!
“Originally I was going to be back today/Saturday but it will be next week now.
“I’ve got a house in Newmarket so I’ve been getting around in the mornings and been busy.
“I’ve been in to James Tate, and my old mate Kevin Ryan is there. Then Marco Botti and James Ferguson have had me in too.
“I’ll be freelance and just go with the flow to start. I won’t be taking rides here, there and everywhere for the sake of it but will see what happens and go from there.
“It’s great to be back and things are a bit different but it’ll be nice for me and my family.”
Callan won the QEII Cup in Hong Kong on star Blazing Speed as well as the Hong Kong Classic Mile on Beauty Only.
But his career their came to a close at the same time as a spat with the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
Irishman Callan was called to the stewards room after an incident in February and subsequently banned for the remainder of the season. However, this was overturned after a successful appeal in April.
Callan missed a total of 15 meetings in Hong Kong
Callan was one of Britain’s most sought after jockeys before he relocated to. He twice finished runner-up in the jockeys championship, riding 170 winners in his best season in 2007.
His major victories included the Nunthorpe on Borderlescott in 2009 and Middle Park on Astaire in 2013.
Agent Shelley Dwyer said: “We’ve been trying for over two weeks to get a licence. We’d hoped go be back in action this Saturday but that wasn’t the case.
“Kevin [Ryan] and James Tate look like they’re going to give him plenty of support. But a lot of people have been in touch to see if he’s available.”
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