It is four years since Kieren Fallon rode a winner in Ireland, and eight years since he rode a winner at Tipperary. However the legendary former champion will aim to bridge those gaps in style on board Sovereign Debt in tomorrow's Group Three Coolmore Concorde Stakes.
The 50-year-old jockey recently returned to Britain after riding through the summer in the USA and is in the final stages of a career as hugely successful as it has been massively controversial.
The successes include a pair of Arc victories in just three years for Coolmore on board Hurricane Run (2005) and Dylan Thomas in 2007, the year in which, just three months prior to the Arc, Fallon successfully returned to action at Tipperary after serving a six month drugs ban.
Major player
His appearance at ‘the Junction’ will be less headline-grabbing than that day but after a warm-up ride in the opening maiden, Sovereign Debt should be a major player in the big flat race.
Dandy Nicholls brought the six year old to the Curragh over Derby weekend to win well at a mile but Sovereign Debt has won twice at seven furlongs and an official 111 rating gives him an obvious chance against Tested and the 2013 winner Sruthan who is blinkered for the first time.
Donnacha O'Brien looks to be on the Ballydoyle number one, Cole Porter, in the opener but otherwise the focus is on National Hunt action, although those with an eye on next week's Cesarewitch will be keenly examining Thomas Edison in the Grade Two Istabraq Hurdle.
The 2014 Galway Hurdle hero is one of the favourite’s for Newmarket’s marathon but takes his chance in this €55,000 highlight which owner JP McManus is likely to be keen to win.
Half of the field for the Like-A-Butterfly Novice Chase are owned by Gigginstown and Bryan Cooper's decision to side with Rule The World rather than The Game Changer can pay off over the two and a half mile trip.
The Grade Two PWC Champion Chase is today's Gowran feature and the Galway Plate hero Shanahan's Turn can make it a case of 'as you were' in the €42,000 highlight.
Shanahan’s Turn should relish decent ground conditions based on the evidence of his fine Ballybrit success in July which saw him raised 11lbs in official ratings. The Liverpool winner Clarcam comes out best on figures but conditions may favour his rival.
