Fallon explains Ballydoyle decision

Kieren Fallon has admitted it was a tough decision to quit his job with Michael Stoute and take up the position as retained jockey at Ballydoyle.

Fallon was confirmed as the new number one rider to Aidan O’Brien on Friday night after Jamie Spencer’s shock resignation earlier in the month.

The six-time champion jockey met with Coolmore owners John Magnier, Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith in Barbados last Tuesday and, after some discussion, a deal was agreed by the end of the week.

Although Fallon was thrilled to have landed the Ballydoyle job, he dreaded having to break the news to Stoute on Friday afternoon.

He told the Sunday Times: “All week I felt great about the possibility of joining Coolmore, but on the other side, I didn’t want to leave the job I had.

“The hardest part was ringing Stoutey. He knew what was coming and told me he would have appreciated knowing far sooner. I didn’t call because I wasn’t sure what I was going to do.

“But overall, he was really good about it. He said we’d been a great team, which is true, and a very lucky team, which is also true. He wished me the best for the future.”

Fallon had been Stoute’s stable jockey since 1999 and the pair had enjoyed huge success together, landing the Vodafone Derby in both 2003 and 2004 with Kris Kin and North Light.

They also teamed up for numerous other big race wins and Fallon paid tribute to Stoute’s talents.

“Stoutey is a brilliant trainer and we had so much success together: King’s Best and Golan in the Guineas, Kris Kin and North Light in the Derby and those brilliant fillies, Islington and Russian Rhythm,” he said.

Despite O’Brien having endured a poor season by his standards last year with just three Group One wins, Fallon is upbeat about their chances this year after speaking to the trainer on the phone from Barbados.

“For me it was important to speak with Aidan. I have always admired his dedication and his talent for training horses. He is particularly enthusiastic about his current two-year-olds and I believe we’re going to have a good year,” he said.

Fallon, his wife Julie and their children are expected to relocate to Ireland in the spring as the rider feels it is important to be close to hand.

He added: “John, Michael and Derrick left it up to me about where I wanted to be based, but I believe that to do the job at Ballydoyle as well as I want to do it, that means being around the place a lot and knowing the horses intimately.”

Stoute was obviously disappointed to lose Fallon’s services but he will not be rushing into a decision on a successor at Freemason Lodge.

“I only found out about it myself on Friday and a replacement is not the sort of decision to make overnight,” he told the Racing Post.

Johnny Murtagh, an early favourite for the Ballydoyle position himself, is the 4-5 market leader with Cashmans for the Stoute job.