O'Brien stands by embattled Fallon
Aidan O’Brien is confident Coolmore will continue to support Kieren Fallon if the six-time champion jockey’s failed drugs test is confirmed.
Just 24 hours after his race-fixing trial collapsed at the Old Bailey, it was revealed Fallon tested positive for a banned substance after riding Myboycharlie to win the Group One Prix Morny at Deauville on August 19.
Fallon now has to wait for the results of a B sample before learning his fate.
O’Brien is unsure what the future holds for Fallon, but is convinced his employers will again stand by their man in the hope one of the most talented riders to grace the saddle may yet master his demons.
“I don’t know what will happen, we’ll have to go home and talk to him,” said the Ballydoyle handler.
“Kieren, everyone knows, has an addiction problem and had before he came to us.
“Anybody like that deserves help rather than anything else. Everybody has always helped him, they’ve stood 100% behind him all the way and I can’t see why it would be any different.
“There will be a discussion about it, there always is, but obviously Kieren has an addiction problem and did before he came to us.
“I haven’t talked to him, I talked to him after the court case, that’s all.
“He was in fairyland at that time but there’s a long road ahead of him now.”
The 42-year-old rider previously served a six-month suspension imposed by (French racing authority) France Galop after testing positive for a metabolite of a prohibited substance in November 2006.
In similar circumstances, Dean Gallagher was banned for 18 months after the jump jockey failed a second drugs test in 2002.
The Irish Turf Club, with whom Fallon is licensed, have an agreement with other racing jurisdictions to reciprocate bans of this nature.
Fallon was therefore unable to ride in Ireland during his previous suspension.
Speaking from Hong Kong, Irish Turf Club chief executive Denis Egan said: “We would not hear anything until a hearing takes place in France.
“We just have to deal with whatever comes up if a hearing takes place in whatever form it arises.
“It would be wrong to presuppose at this stage.”
