Horse Racing: Ballydoyle is Not Alone in Missing the Fallon Touch

Divine River, a three-year-old daughter of Lujain who is currently in training with Alan Jarvis, has not shown a great deal since winning a maiden at Newbury back in April. In fact, she has finished last or second to last in three of her four subsequent races. Yet she seems sure to occupy a small niche in racing history books for some months, and possibly years, to come, because on June 27, in a minor handicap at Newbury, she provided Kieren Fallon with his last ride in Britain.

Two months - a third of the Flat season so far - have passed by since then, during which time Fallon has been charged in connection with alleged race-fixing, then banned by the Horseracing Regulatory Authority until after his very distant trial, a suspension that he tried, and then failed, to overturn in the courts. The world did not stop, and racing carried on.

That is not to say that racing has moved on, though, and nor will it until Fallon's trial is finally over, probably in the spring of 2008. Last week alone, the Racing Post's front page carried a picture of Fallon in action on three separate occasions. Two of the horses in question are Ballydoyle stable stars - Dylan Thomas and Alexandrova - and were due to start as favourites in major races at the Ebor Festival, but with Mick Kinane in the saddle. You can ban a jockey of Fallon's great talent and achievement, but you will never air-brush him from history.

Only two days ago, at Goodwood, there was another cause for regret when George Washington, Ballydoyle's 2,000 Guineas winner, was involved in a bizarre and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to win the Group Two Celebration Mile. Kinane is a very able jockey, and has been one of the best in the world for two decades, and he did all he could to cope with George Washington's wilful nature. This is a horse, obviously, with a lot going on between his ears. If he were a character in a film, he would be Jack Nicholson in The Shining, just as he reaches for the axe.

But it is difficult too not to think that Fallon, who knows the horse better than anyone, might have got him out of the stalls rather more swiftly and enjoyed a little more success in getting him settled early on. As a result, in view of the remarkable rate at which George Washington covered the final furlong, it is quite possible that with Fallon in the plate the 5-6 favourite would have won.

On the evidence of his efforts earlier this season - for instance, after the Classic trials at Chester and York - Fallon would also have been happy to discuss his thoughts on the performance, win or lose, at some length afterwards. His recent willingness - eagerness, even - to answer questions seems to stem directly from the security and confidence his contract at Ballydoyle provides, and is something that Kinane, as a freelance, is never likely to match.

Such is the nature of the damage being done to British racing by Fallon's enforced absence. These are small, survivable blows to be sure, but blows that diminish the racing experience all the same.

Ron Cox's tip of the day



Dance A Daydream 4.50 Ripon

Jockey Oscar Urbina has developed the happy knack of turning up for just one winning ride at a meeting, as he did on Sesmen at Goodwood on Sunday, and can make the journey to Ripon worthwhile on Dance A Daydream. Three-year-olds have a good record in this race, and the way this filly ran on over 1m4f at Beverley suggests this 2m trip will suit.