Racing:Mark Tompkins is set to offer Kieren Fallon the ride on Ted Spread after Darryll Holland was injured at Beverley last night.
The Newmarket trainer is hoping the three-times Derby-winning rider will be able to take the mount on the Chester Vase hero on Saturday week.
“It sounds like Darryll has broken his collarbone, the next problem is who we’ll get to ride, we’ve made a few phone calls this morning,” said Tompkins. “If Kieren doesn’t ride for Aidan (O’Brien) I will certainly ask him.”
Fallon has said he does not expect to get the call from O'Brien, though he firmly expects one of the Ballydoyle trainer's horses to win the race.
Holland is likely to be out of action for at least three weeks after fracturing his right collarbone when he was unshipped from Misty Moon on leaving the stalls for the Hilary Needler Trophy, the feature race at Beverley on Wednesday evening.
“He’s fractured his clavicle. I’ve spoken to him this morning,” said Holland’s agent David Harrison. “He’s got to go to the Bupa Hospital today in Cambridge and they will check out the injury further.
“It looks like he’ll be out for three to four weeks at least.
“It’s not just missing the Derby, it’s such a busy time of the year. It’s just one of those things.”
It is bad luck on Holland, who went close to winning his first Derby on Dragon Dancer, who was touched off by Sir Percy in 2006.
Holland partnered Ted Spread to victory at Chester, and Tompkins believes his charge will put up a good show in the premier Classic.
“I said to the boys that own him he could be more of a Leger horse and he stays well. The ground will be better for him in September too,” Tompkins continued. “We went to Chester for the ground, and once he won that we thought we had to have a go at the Derby.
“I hope he won’t disgrace himself, I think he could be fourth or fifth.”