Tag Archive for: Kieren Fallon

Cieren Fallon has character to flourish, says famous father

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Kieren Fallon has lauded his son Cieren’s temperament in and out of the saddle after watching him notch his third win at the highest level aboard Montassib earlier this month

A last-minute delay meant Fallon senior – one of the most decorated jockeys of his era – was not at Haydock to watch the 25-year-old add to the Group One triumphs he achieved with Oxted in 2020 and 2021.

It was his first top-level victory for William Haggas, having been based with the Somerville Lodge handler since his apprentice days.

However, it was Roger Teal’s popular speedster Oxted who helped propel the dual Champion Apprentice into the spotlight, winning the July Cup before registering a first Royal Ascot success when adding the King’s Stand Stakes to his CV.

Cieren Fallon celebrates after winning at Haydock
Cieren Fallon celebrates after winning at Haydock (Mike Egerton/PA)

It is somewhat fitting that it is another late-maturing sprinter that ended Fallon’s three-year wait between Group One drinks, as he continued his tremendous partnership with Montassib at Haydock in the Betfair Sprint Cup.

The Merseyside triumph was Fallon’s fifth in partnership with the six-year-old and the jockey’s father – who won the Sprint Cup with Society Rock in 2012 – was impressed by the way he timed his winning run, hailing his race-riding skills in the saddle.

“I was supposed to go up with him, but I just got held up a bit in the yard and by the time I got out of the yard, they had already gone,” said Fallon.

“It was probably a good job in the end that I didn’t, and I don’t really tell him how to ride races and he doesn’t ask all that often, too.

“You can guide them a little bit, but you can’t teach someone how to ride and the other most important thing you can’t teach is knowing when to sit and knowing when to kick.

“You see people sitting too long and not getting up, or kicking too soon and then getting nailed and it looks terrible – and it’s an art to find that knack of when to kick and get it right.

“He got it spot on and I was sat there thinking ‘go on kick, why is he waiting, why is he sitting’ – I think I would have gone 100 yards earlier than he did.

“He knows the horse better than me, but watching I couldn’t help thinking ‘what is he waiting for’. But I used to hate kicking too soon and getting nailed, it would drive me mad.”

Kieren Fallon (left) and Cieren Fallon have both enjoyed great days in the saddle
Kieren (left) and Cieren Fallon have both enjoyed great days in the saddle (Alan Crowhurst/PA)

Fallon has ridden over 50 winners each season since 2019, but has met some challenges this term, with his momentum checked by untimely setbacks.

After an injury kept him out of action over the winter months, he suffered a broken back at Windsor in July which put him back on the sidelines.

Having praised his patience in the saddle, Fallon senior has also applauded his resilience to bounce back from his untimely lay-offs, admitting it was something he struggled to deal with himself during his long and distinguished riding career.

“The other good thing about Cieren is not a lot fazes him,” he continued.

Kieren Fallon (left) and Cieren Fallon have both enjoyed great days in the saddle
Cieren Fallon with Montassib (Steve Welsh/PA)

“It was easy to get me upset, especially if I had got beat or rode a bad race, but Cieren is able to shrug it off and that is an important asset he has.

“I would have been tearing my hair out while injured, but the difference we have is I was one-way traffic; eat, sleep, riding races, reading form, everything was racing, whereas he is able to sit back and switch off.

“He loves rugby league, he loves football, he loves his sport. I had no interest at all and that was probably my downfall. There was no distraction, it was just horses and racing – and obviously after a while, you got burnt out and start making mistakes and things just don’t work out.

“You do have to try to get away and I would never take a holiday, but he is different, which is good.”



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Kieren Fallon recounts the ‘genius’ of Sir Michael Stoute as retirement looms

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Kieren Fallon hailed the “trainer he always wanted to ride for” after Sir Michael Stoute announced he will retire at the end of the season.

Fallon and Stoute won two Derbys together with Kris Kin and North Light, enjoying plenty of other great successes during the Russian Rhythm years and with Golan, Islington, King’s Best and many others.

Speaking of his pride at riding for Stoute, former six-time champion jockey Fallon told the PA news agency: “All of the great jockeys have been there at some stage. Even Gary Stevens came over and rode for him.

“I was freelancing at the time, I had just finished with Henry (Cecil) and it was just luck of the draw for me and we ended up with all these great horses. Guineas, Derby, Royal Ascot the lot. Jeez, there were some great horses.

“They weren’t just one type, he had a bit of everything, from two-year-olds to sprinters to stayers.

Kris Kin – Epsom Races
Kris Kin and Fallon winning the Derby (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA)

“I don’t like comparing trainers, but he was my favourite and he was the trainer I always wanted to ride for. I don’t know if it comes from Shergar or what, because of where I am from in the west of Ireland you could never have dreamed of being in his yard.”

Russian Rhythm’s CV included the 1000 Guineas, Coronation Stakes, Nassau Stakes and Lockinge, and Fallon went on: “He trained some of the greats, Shergar, and of course I rode Russian Rhythm who I thought was his best filly – she wasn’t just a two-year-old, three-year-old or four-year-old.

“King’s Best, unfortunately he broke down. He was a machine and look what he did in the Guineas going from first to last. I remember his last piece of work before he was going to go to Epsom and he got injured after that. I had never ridden anything like that piece of work.

“The horses loved it there and that was one of the reasons for his success. Notnowcato was a handicapper the year before he won the Eclipse and I told a friend of mine to buy him to go jumping as he was headed for the sales given he was a nice horse and would make a good jumper. He ended up winning the Eclipse with him and that kind of sums up how good he was.”

Fallon said Stoute was “firm but fair” and had the magic touch when it came to dealing with his riders.

EPSOM DERBY RACE
North Light returning after his Derby victory (Chris Young/PA)

He remembered: “He was a joy to ride for and I would always go and sit down with him. He would always ring me before a Classic or big race and he would say to come on up for glass of wine or whatever.

“We would sit there chatting away about cricket or things I have no interest in, but we’d chat away and just before I left he would say something simple like ‘so how are you going to ride this horse tomorrow?’ and he would just keep it simple rather than stand in the paddock in front of the owners. I thought it was another part of his genius.

“He knew when the gates opened anything can happen and he knew it was hard to say I want you to sit here or keep wide. When you are tied down things are not going to happen because you are always trying to correct them rather than letting a race happen as it does. He could read races and he knew that things happen.

“He was firm but fair and if you got anything wrong he would let you think about it for a while and wouldn’t say an awful lot.

“I was with him quite a while and there was only one little blip in all the years and all the rides.

Sagitta 1000 Guineas stakes
Russian Rhythm after her 1000 Guineas triumph (Andrew Parsons/PA)

“I was riding a filly at Windsor and I hated Windsor and I remember this filly missed the kick coming out of the stalls over a mile – she was a nice filly. There were plenty of runners and I got stuck on the outside and I got back too far and I didn’t ride a great race.

“I came in on the next work morning and rode work and went for breakfast and after he had finished checking over the horses, because he was so meticulous, he came in and I was sitting at the table with a paper and a cup of tea and he hits the table with his fist and said ‘I had a 33 per cent strike rate at Windsor before you started riding for me’. He was annoyed but that was the end of it – the great thing was he never dwelt on it when there were more important things to worry about.

“I also remember he would wait for the work riders and jockeys coming in after work and you would tell him something and he would pretend he was writing it down on a piece of paper using his finger and the palm of his hand. And when he would think it was a load of rubbish someone had just told him he would pretend to screw up the piece of paper and throw it away. It was usually Johnny Murtagh or Mick Kinane – I can’t remember him doing it to me, but he probably did at some stage.”



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Fallon says early position will be crucial for Moore and City Of Troy

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Kieren Fallon believes drawing stall one may not be an inconvenience for leading Betfred Derby contender City Of Troy, as long as Ryan Moore can take up a handy position.

Fallon was a master of Epsom’s mile-and-a-half circuit, winning the Derby three times and claiming four Classic triumphs in the Oaks.

One of his victories in the blue riband came on board Oath from the inside berth in 1999 – with Adayar the only subsequent scorer from stall one three years ago.

Fallon told the Nick Luck Daily Podcast that City Of Troy’s slot can be overcome, stating: “As long as they travel, and Oath travelled.

Racing/Oath heads for the post
Oath (right) with Kieren Fallon up goes for Derby glory in 1999 (PA).

“Actually, I was lucky enough that all mine travelled, except maybe Kris Kin, who was lazy and workmanlike.

“But the most important thing is the first half-mile of the race, not the second half. Because you’re going up a steep hill and you don’t want to use your gas on the way up.

“And then you’ve got that chicane, the first corner. What you have to be careful of is when the horses are coming back from the far side.

“When the high numbers start coming across, it is how to judge it, it’s all about the pace, and judging how quick (to go) is very hard, as you are travelling up a hill.

“There’s not many tracks where you can pace yourself going up a hill and that’s the most important thing – getting yourself at the right pace for the first half-mile. Then you can relax into it and then take it from there.

“It’s simple after that. You have to save ground, you can’t come around the field. I always call it the Lester Piggott route – box seat, in third, fourth or fifth.

Oath wins Derby
Kieren Fallon on Oath after winning the Derby at Epsom (PA).

“You can’t be too far back, either. Greville Starkey got slated for Dancing Brave and from riding the race, you know what happened to him.

“He was riding to get the trip and then he obviously got shuffled back and there’s nothing you can do then. You can’t make a move, because if you do, you’re not going to finish anywhere.

“You’ve got to find your slot, so you don’t get shuffled back, and you don’t end up in front either. There’s not many front-runners win the Derby.

“On North Light, I was very prominent, but he was a known galloper, so I could be there and then ride a pace to suit myself, because there were no pacemakers in that race.

“But it’s all about the first half-mile, where you can win or lose your race.”

Trained by Aidan O’Brien, last year’s champion juvenile City Of Troy is on a recovery mission following his 2000 Guineas disappointment, but big-race jockey Ryan Moore remained calm after hearing of his position.

Derby Festival 2023 – Derby Day – Epsom Downs Racecourse
Aidan O’Brien and Ryan Moore won last year’s Betfred Derby (David Davies for the Jockey Club).

Moore told Betfair: “Let’s just hope my horse can show his true worth. He is drawn one, but there is no point dwelling on that.”

Stablemate Los Angeles (stall four) boasts a perfect record of three wins in as many starts, most recently taking the Leopardstown Derby Trial from the reopposing Euphoric (also O’Brien) on his seasonal bow, and he is in four. Wayne Lordan rides Los Angeles – who was again threatening City Of Troy for favouritism following the draw – with Euphoric to be partnered by Declan McDonogh.

The challenge to the Ballydoyle team is spearheaded by the Charlie Appleby-trained Ancient Wisdom, a Group One-winning juvenile who had to settle for second in the Dante at York on his return to action.

Ancient Wisdom has to overcome a wider draw in 11 – a stall which has yet to produce a Derby winner, although Appleby is unconcerned by that statistic.

He told the Godolphin website: “There hasn’t been a Derby winner from stall 11, but there has been a few from either side, so I think we are in the right area.”

Doncaster Races – Saturday October 28th
Ancient Wisdom ridden by jockey William Buick winning at Doncaster (Richard Sellers/PA).

Lingfield Derby Trial winner Ambiente Friendly is another leading home-trained hope for James Fanshawe and he has drawn six.

Voyage will be widest of all in stall 16 – another berth that has never housed the winner – with Dancing Gemini next door in 15.

Sandown Classic Trial second Macduff and Blue Riband Trial winner Bellum Justum are in eight and 12 respectively.

The Adrian Murray-trained Dallas Star, shock winner of the Ballysax Stakes, is in seven.

Deira Mile, God’s Window, Kamboo, Sayedaty Sadaty, the supplemented Tabletalk and Mr Hampstead complete the line-up.



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Coronation heroine Russian Rhythm ‘was always special’ to Fallon

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Kieren Fallon knew from the very first moment Russian Rhythm was a special filly. And so she proved when storming to Royal Ascot glory 20 years ago.

Trained by Sir Michael Stoute, Fallon first got to sit on the daughter of Kingmambo on the gallops in Newmarket at the beginning of her racing journey and it did not take him long to realise he was aboard a thoroughbred of the highest order, with his mind already drifting 12 months down the line to when she would get to contest the 1000 Guineas.

Having completed Fallon’s prophecy by securing Classic honours at Newmarket in the spring of 2003, attentions turned to Royal Ascot where the Cheveley Park Stud-owned Russian Rhythm would be assigned the task of completing the 1000 Guineas/Coronation Stakes double.

Russian Rhythm winning the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket
Russian Rhythm winning the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket (Andrew Parsons/PA)

Although a regular in the winner’s enclosure at the Royal meeting, Russian Rhythm would go on to fittingly provide Fallon with his sole Coronation Stakes victory, justifying odds-on favouritism to see off Soviet Song.

“She won the Coronation and she was an amazing filly,” said Fallon.

“She probably didn’t get the recognition I think she should have done. I remember the first time I ever rode her it was up the Limekilns and a place they call the golden mile. She was a two-year-old and it was one of her first pieces of work, and I said this filly was something else. All I could think about was the Guineas, she was always special.”

Following her Royal Ascot triumph, Russian Rhythm went on to add another Group One in the Nassau Stakes and although only one further success in the following year’s Lockinge Stakes was to follow as injury curtailed her on-track career, there are few fillies that Fallon holds in higher esteem.

He continued: “She was like a colt, she had some stamp to her and everything about her was amazing. It was like driving a Rolls Royce, she had this cruising speed and you just floated on her. I will never forget that filly.

“She was an exceptional filly. I won the 1000 Guineas four times, nine (Guineas) in all if you include the colts, but she stood out by a mile. I rode Ouija Board, Bosra Sham and Russian Rhythm – they were the three. They were all stamped the same, they were like colts and had serious engines and serious temperaments, and I was lucky to come across Russian Rhythm.”

The 2003 edition proved to be a fruitful Royal Ascot for Fallon as he also got his hands on the Gold Cup for the first time when steering Mr Dinos to a six-length victory over Persian Punch for Paul Cole in the week’s feature.

He went on to add a second Gold Cup three years later when guiding Yeats to the first of four victories in the race, and having ridden many big winners at the Royal meeting over the course of his decorated career, the five-day festival holds a special place in the six-time champion jockey’s memories.

Keiren Fallon rides Mr Dinos to Ascot Gold Cup glory in 2003
Kieren Fallon rides Mr Dinos to Ascot Gold Cup glory in 2003 (Chris Young/PA)

“Royal Ascot is amazing. It’s unique,” continued Fallon.

“You go down there on the Tuesday and you stay there for the week, everyone comes together from all over the world, you can have your parties after racing on the evenings, it’s just amazing. You have the royal family there. The Queen was a highlight of the whole week from start to finish – forget the horses, sometimes people just wanted to see the Queen.

“For all the great horses I had to ride – and that was some feeling and a buzz – but it is also a buzz when you walked into the paddock and saw the royal family. It really is something not a lot of people experience and the pleasure you get from it you take to your grave.

“When you were on horses for Aidan (O’Brien) and Sir Michael you knew you were on live ones, but even to get rides down there was special.

“There were times when I was starting out when I could have had five good rides at Redcar or somewhere like that, but you’re not even thinking about that, you want to go to Ascot just to be part of it. It’s once-in-a-lifetime thing, Royal Ascot, it’s like heaven.”



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Race Histories 11: The Royal Hunt Cup

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James Jewitt - top trainer in RHC

James Jewitt - top trainer in RHC

It would be nice to think that the Royal Hunt Cup was named after the Danish prog-rock band, but as the race was started in 1843 and the band more than 150 years later, that’s clearly not the case. Read more



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