Fallon gets off to a flyer for new boss
The beautifully-bred filly, a full-sister to St Leger winner Brian Boru, kept her unbeaten record by making all the running in the Listed EBF Park Express Stakes on the opening day of the Irish Flat season.
Fallon kicked for home with two furlongs to run and the 7-2 chance quickened clear very smartly to win as she liked, six lengths in front of Tropical Lady.
Bookies were impressed enough to slash her odds for the Vodafone Oaks, where she is as short as 12-1 (from 25-1) with Coral. Cashmans offer 14-1, while Ladbrokes cut her to 16-1 from 33-1.
The latter firm also shortened her UltimatePoker.com 1000 Guineas odds to 25-1 from 50s.
O'Brien said: "She is a very nice filly.
"Those were good horses behind her, and she has been working well at home.
"She is entered in all the Classics, but we will see what Kieren says first."
Fallon had been out of luck on his first two rides on the card, taking sixth with Jaguar On The Run in the Peter Keatley Curragh Equine Groundcare Maiden, his debut mount for O'Brien.
Sent off the 11-10 favourite for his racecourse bow, the Michael Tabor-owned three-year-old ran green but was staying on well at the end.
However, he was no match for another debutant, the Mick Halford-trained Lahiba (20-1), who came through to lead a furlong and a half from home, holding Cove Mountain by three-quarters of a length.
It was a first winner for Johnny Murtagh, who will be the regular rider for Halford when he is in Ireland.
Fallon's first ride of the day had come in the opening Tally Ho Stud European Breeders Fund but he had to settle for ninth on the David Wachman-trained One Fell Swoop.
The five-furlong contest was won in nice style by the Tommy Stack-trained Northern Flight (5-1) and Wayne Lordan, who quickened away from Shinko Dancer by a length and a half.
Fallon said: "It is a new year I am looking forward to it, and with a bit of luck, we can't go wrong.
"It is early days, the horse of David's just needed educating there, and hopefully next time he can do better over a longer trip. But it its early for the babies just now, and they are still learning."
O'Brien and Fallon later teamed up with Mullins Bay in the most valuable race of the day, the ladbroke.com Irish Lincolnshire, but the Machiavellian horse was unplaced behind the Adrian McGuinness-trained winner Victram.
Fallon was due to partner Bonanza for O'Brien in the closing One In Four EBF Maiden, but the Danehill colt was declared a non-runner.
Fallon got aquatinted with some of O'Brien's main Classic hopefuls after racing.
O'Brien worked a total of 30 horses after racing. The string went out in six five-horse lots, and in the first of them Fallon rode the unbeaten Footstepsinthesand.
Next up for the former champion was Tiger Dance, a full-brother to the 'Iron Horse', Giant's Causeway.
Fallon then partnered Dewhurst runner-up Oratorio, followed by Grand Central and Gypsy King.
The latter has been in demand with Ladbrokes yesterday for the Vodafone Derby, the once-raced Leopardstown maiden winner being cut to 12-1 from 16-1 for the premier Classic.
Fallon completed his work with a spin on Almighty, a half-brother to Arc winner Sagamix.
David Wachman also gave a spin to his top-class filly Damson, who is second-favourite with most of the big firms for the UltimatePoker.com 1000 Guineas, and the Group-placed colt Indesatchel.
Jamie Spencer, whom Fallon replaced at Ballydoyle following his shock resignation, partnered the Sue Magnier-owned Damson, while Wayne Lordan was aboard Indesatchel.
"The two of them worked together. Jamie was very happy with Damson. We don't need to be winding her up yet."
