O’Brien issues robust defence of banned Fallon
On the same day the HRA appeal board released their reasons for dismissing Fallon’s appeal, O’Brien gave an impassioned defence of his stable jockey.
Fallon is unable to ride in Britain after being charged as part of a police investigation into alleged race-fixing but he is still able to ride in his native Ireland, where he is licensed by the Irish Turf Club.
He will team up with O’Brien for his first potential Classic success since being charged when riding Epsom heroine Alexandrova in the Darley Irish Oaks on Sunday.
Speaking at Newmarket, O’Brien said: “Kieren is the most unbelievable jockey we have ever had.
“I have never known anybody who wants to win so badly but he still puts the welfare of the horse first.
“It is terrible for us not to be able to use him in England.
“He is a master of his craft – nobody I have known loves horses as much or wants to win so badly, and that is not just one race, it is every race.
“He never really uses the stick and when he does he knows when to put it down.
“With everything he rides he always comes back and explains exactly why he has done what he has done and I find the whole thing hard to believe.
“No-one treats horses with more respect than this man and he has a second sense and can feel things in a horse which other people can’t.
“I saw him on the TV before he came to work for us but it wasn’t until he came to work for us that I really got to understand him and his gift for horses.
“There is no doubt about his genius.
“Kieren has been there everyday and losing him is like taking a wheel off (a car).
“Kieren is so open and he doesn’t speak to people deviously – he tries to help everyone.
“People should celebrate him rather than pushing him into the ground.”
Aussie Rules was the first O’Brien runner to suffer from Fallon’s absence when fourth in last weekend’s Coral-Eclipse Stakes, with the mount falling to Alan Munro after intended pilot Johnny Murtagh was injured.
Murtagh was available to partner Admiralofthefleet in the Weatherbys Superlative Stakes at Headquarters and like former stable jockey Mick Kinane, the pair are likely to benefit from Fallon’s enforced absence.
“We have had great jockeys in the past and the great jockeys will still ride for us but Kieren will still help with the horses at home,” added O’Brien.
“I just hope that the most unbelievable talent we have had doesn’t get destroyed.”
Fallon appeared before a special panel of the HRA last week when he has told he would be prevented from riding in Britain until the end of any trial – which is unlikely to start until spring 2007.
The 41-year-old and his legal team contested that decision but the appeal board dismissed that on Thursday, with the rulings of the board delivered on Friday.
In summary, the board chairman Sir Roger Buckley, said: “The panel’s judgement was that the potential damage to racing by permitting Mr Fallon, now charged with conspiracy to defraud in connection with the actual running of races, to continue to participate in race riding until the law has resolved the charge, outweighed the prejudice to him.
“We do not regard that as a disproportionate response.
“The panel was well placed to make that judgement even if all may not agree with it.”
