Fallon targets title after reaching century
The most recent of the Irishman’s championships came in 2003 and he admitted it would be difficult to prevent the leader Paul Hanagan from retaining his crown.
The century came from an old ally, Wetherby trainer Robin Bastiman, who provided Fallon with the ride on Miss Blink, the 11-4 favourite for the Oilfield Insurance Agencies Handicap.
Hitting the front with two furlongs remaining of the testing grass course, Miss Blink held out to finish three lengths clear.
“When you’re on 99 the next one seems harder to get,” said Fallon.
“I thought I’d do it last night (at Kempton) but it didn’t happen and it’s nice to get it.”
When asked about a title challenge, he added: “I’ll be trying. I’m confident, but it will be tough to pull back 11 or so from Paul at this stage of the season, as he has got a strong team.”
* Mick Channon has decided against running his Royal Ascot winner Samitar against Maybe and La Collina in Sunday’s Moyglare Stud Stakes.
Instead, the Albany Stakes winner will take in the valuable £100,000 Tattersalls Millions Median Auction Stakes at Newmarket 24 hours earlier.
* Ante-post favourite Strong Suit is a surprising absentee from the final declarations for tomorrow’s Betfair Celebration Mile at Goodwood.
Strong Suit has only recently been bought by Pearl Bloodstock and their racing manager, David Redvers, revealed the Richard Hannon-trained colt is now likely to wait for the Prix de la Foret at Longchamp on Arc weekend.
Hannon will instead be represented by 2000 Guineas runner-up Dubawi Gold, looking to bounce back from a disappointing run in the Hungerford Stakes.
Zoffany is another notable absentee from the final declarations.
The Aidan O’Brien-trained son of Dansili, who chased home Frankel in the St James’s Palace at Royal Ascot, was as short as 4-1 for tomorrow’s feature.
Famous Name, trained by Dermot Weld, will also miss the race.
Last year’s winner Poets’s Voice is one of two representatives for Saeed bin Suroor as he will be joined by stablemate Emerald Commander, a former Hannon inmate.
Two seven-year-olds, Premio Loco and Riggins will take their chance, along with Clive Cox’s Beacon Lodge.
Andrew Balding’s Set The Trend completes the seven-runner line-up.
* Willie Twiston-Davies could be back riding out in six weeks after undergoing a successful operation on his broken ankle.
The 16-year-old jockey, son of Gold Cup-winning trainer Nigel Twiston-Davies, was unseated from Ballygulleen at the second fence of the Ladbrokes Conditional Jockeys’ Handicap Chase at Worcester on Wednesday.
