News and Leopardstown preview: Kieren Fallon is facing an even more uncertain future after the high court's decision in London yesterday to reject his appeal against a Horseracing Regulatory Authority ban that prevents him riding in the UK.
It now appears the six-times former champion jockey won't be able to ride in Britain until the conclusion of a trial into alleged race-fixing, which is not scheduled to begin until the end of next year.
Fallon has been charged with conspiracy to defraud.
After yesterday's decision, Fallon's solicitors issued a statement: "We are not seeking leave to appeal and our focus will be on defending the ill-founded allegations against Mr Fallon. Our client is understandably disappointed with the outcome of his efforts to have his suspension lifted pending a trial in 18 months' time."
Yesterday's ruling concluded the HRA had to balance the need to maintain the integrity of the sport and the interests of the individual jockey. The judge said, however, the charges against Fallon were grave and if proven would "strike at the heart of racing".
Some very public support for the Co Clare native came yesterday though from the legendary former champion trainer Vincent O'Brien (89), who pointedly asked for Fallon to ride his horse Lord Admiral - trained by O'Brien's son, Charles - in this evening's Group Three Meld Stakes at Leopardstown.
Charles O'Brien said yesterday: "It is very much my father's decision. It is a gesture of support. He told me if the situation came up, I should try and book Kieren in as reasonably high-profile a race as possible.
"I think he feels Kieren is being hard done by and he remembers in the past being hard done by himself."
Vincent O'Brien was famously "warned off" by the Turf Club in 1960 after a doping scandal involving the subsequent Irish Derby winner Chamour. O'Brien was prevented from training for one year before having his licence renewed in 1961.
The high court decision yesterday looks like having far-reaching effects for Fallon as the racing authorities in Chicago, where the Aidan O'Brien-trained Ace is an intended starter in next month's Arlington Million, have already stated they will reciprocate the riding ban with the British authorities.
It also throws into doubt Fallon's participation in the prestigious Breeders' Cup meeting in America in August.
He is, however, still free to ride in Ireland and in addition to Lord Admiral, he looks to have a number of promising rides lined up at Leopardstown, with Absolutelyfabulous possibly the best of them in the Listed Sweet Mimosa Stakes.
The Magnier-owned filly showed dramatic improvement to win by six lengths at Naas on her last start and should be more at home over the six furlongs than Modeeroch.
Despite that, the Jim Bolger team could have a very good evening with the Derby seventh Heliostatic dropping back to a mile and a quarter in the Meld and the highly promising colt Teofilio, already prominent in the betting for next year's classics, looking to hold a good chance in the Tyros Stakes.
The feature is the Group Two Robert H Griffin Debutante Stakes and if the forecast heavy rain arrives it could throw some of the recent form into confusion. In that light, Dimenticata's win over a mile here last time looks encouraging.
