Callaghan has bounced back from two falls in the past 11 days to rack up winners, including two at Newcastle on Monday either side of a four-horse fall, then a treble at Menangle on Tuesday. Drivers and horses from the Newcastle spill escaped serious injury.

"I'm pretty good now," said Callaghan, who had drives on Thursday night at Penrith.

"After the Bankstown fall [on October 18], I was pretty sore for a few days but after Newcastle I was fine. I'm having a good run at the moment with winners and luckily I haven't got hurt out of any of the falls."

The Menangle victories took the former Morisset reinsman past 250 in his career, at age 20, bringing an end to his three-point claim. The change means he won't partner last-start winner Mongolian Cavalry in the fourth at Newcastle for boss Belinda McCarthy, but he still has three drives on the card.

McCarthy's Mafuta Vautin returns to Broadmeadow for the first time since a fourth in the Newcastle Mile in February. Callaghan drives him from the outside gate in the fifth.

"It is a bit of a drop in grade but obviously the bad draw doesn't help," he said. "He's probably not in quite as good as form as when he raced in the Mile. But this will be his third start there, and both times he's raced really good. He was really unlucky in the Mile. If he got out, he would have finished a bit closer."

He also has chances with La Perla Bella (McCarthy) in the third and Mels Ace (Jamie Cassar) in race two. Mels Ace has drawn well in two but La Perla Belle has a back-row start.

La Perla Belle backs up from a seventh when first-up at Penrith after 15 months out with a tendon injury.

"She went all right last week at Penrith when first up for a fair while, so she would have needed the run a bit," he said.

"She's got an awkward draw so I'll have to deal with that, but she's definitely capable of winning that race. She's sound and good now.

"Mels Ace seems to be going OK. I've driven him a couple of times and don't mind him. We've got a good draw so he's a chance."

Callaghan returns to Menangle on Saturday night with three group 1 drives.

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