Kieren Fallon

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Kieren Francis Fallon (born February 22, 1965 in Crusheen, County Clare, Ireland) is a flat racing jockey and has been British Champion Jockey six times.

In 1984 Fallon rode his first winner, Piccadilly Lord, at Navan. He came to England in 1988 to ride for trainer Jimmy FitzGerald his first winner in the United Kingdom coming at Thirsk Racecourse on Evichstar. Fallon has won the Epsom Derby three times; Oath in 1999, Kris Kin in 2003 and North Light in 2004. Fallon is banned from race riding for 18 months and is currently riding out for Sir Michael Stoute.

1 Allegations of "Conspiracy to Defraud"
2 Career wins in Great Britain
3 Major wins
4 See also
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Allegations of "Conspiracy to Defraud"

In March 2004 when Fallon rode "Ballinger Ridge" at Lingfield Park Racecourse, whose odds had risen in the betting exchanges, he was ahead entering the final straight and slowing down when Fallon failed to notice the favourite gaining on him. He accelerated Ballinger Ridge but was passed. Viewing the footage whilst commentating on the BBC Racing from Ascot coverage on 28 July 2006, respected ex-jockey Willie Carson risked prejudicing the trial by stating "No jury’s going to find him guilty on that one".^[1]

In the spring of 2004 the News of the World newspaper made allegations of race fixing against him, and he was due to appear before the Jockey Club later in the year to answer the allegations when on 1 September 2004 he was one of three jockeys (with Fergal Lynch and Darren Williams, along with Miles Rodgers, Philip Sherkle and Shaun Lynch) who were arrested as part of a police investigation into the alleged fixing of over 80 races in the previous two years. On 15 December 2004 the Jockey Club discontinued its investigation into the allegations.

The six were charged with conspiracy to defraud between December 2002 and September 2004, by interfering with the running of horses to ensure they lost races, thereby defrauding those placing bets. All denied the charges.

On 3 July 2006, Fallon was charged along with 7 other people for conspiring to defraud the internet betting exchange Betfair. Fallon was one of 28 people answering bail at Bishopsgate police station in the City of London in connection with the inquiry. In a released police statement, he was described as being charged with "offences relating to allegations of fixing the outcome of horse races between 1 December 2002 and 2 September 2004, and money laundering". All three jockeys, Fallon, Lynch and Williams had their UK racing licences suspended. Four days later, on 7 July 2006, Fallon lost an appeal against his revoked jockey licence and was banned from riding in the UK until his trial for was over, but was still able to race in the Republic of Ireland.

On 29 November 2006 French racing authority France Galop suspended Fallon for six months after testing positive for a prohibited substance. He tested positive for a metabolite of a banned substance. The ban ran from 7 December 2006 to 6 June 2007 and Fallon duly returned on 7 June 2007 with a win at Tipperary Racecourse, on The Bogberry for Aiden O'Brien. The French ban resulted from a sample given by Fallon when he rode Ivan Denisovich in the Prix Jean Prat at Chantilly on 9 July 2006.

On 8 October 2007, his trial on charges of race-fixing began at the Old Bailey court in London. On 7 December 2007, the judge decided the defendants had no case to answer and he directed the jury to find Fallon and all his co-defendants not guilty because of lack of evidence. The court case was estimated to have cost £10 million.^[2]^[3] His suspension from British racing was lifted with immediate effect.

On 8 December 2007, it was revealed by the Daily Mail that Fallon tested positive again for a banned substance on 19 August 2007 at Deauville Racecourse in France, where he rode Myboycharlie, and the results of his B sample are now awaited.^[4]

On 25th January 2008 Fallon received an 18 month riding suspension on the grounds of his positive test at Deauville. He is currently doing work for Sir Michael Stoute.^[5]

[edit] Career wins in Great Britain

* = Champion Jockey

1991 - 29
1992 - 45
1993 - 60
1994 - 47
1995 - 92

1996 - 136
1997 - 202 *
1998 - 204 *
1999 - 202 *
2000 - 59

2001 - 166 *
2002 - 149 *
2003 - 221 *
2004 - 200
2005 - 70

2006 - 27
2007 - 0

Sources: jockeysroom.com (1991 - 2001), racingpost.co.uk (2002 - present)

[edit] Major wins

Great Britain

1,000 Guineas - (4) - Sleepytime (1997), Wince (1999), Russian Rhythm (2003), Virginia Waters (2005)
2,000 Guineas - (4) - King's Best (2000), Golan (2001), Footstepsinthesand (2005), George Washington (2006)
Ascot Gold Cup - (2) - Mr Dinos (2003), Yeats (2006)
Cheveley Park Stakes - (1) - Embassy (1997)
Coronation Cup - (3) - Daliapour (2000), Boreal (2002), Yeats (2005)
Coronation Stakes - (1) - Russian Rhythm (2003)
Derby - (3) - Oath (1999), Kris Kin (2003), North Light (2004)
Eclipse Stakes - (2) - Medicean (2001), Oratorio (2005)
Fillies' Mile - (1) - Red Bloom (2003)
King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Stakes - (1) - Golan (2002)
Lockinge Stakes - (3) - Medicean (2001), Russian Rhythm (2004), Peeress (2006)
Nassau Stakes - (3) - Islington (2002), Russian Rhythm (2003), Favourable Terms (2004)
Oaks - (4) - Reams of Verse (1997), Ramruma (1999), Ouija Board (2004), Alexandrova (2006)
Prince of Wales's Stakes - (1) - Bosra Sham (1997)
Queen Anne Stakes - (3) - Kalanisi (2000), Medicean (2001), Ad Valorem (2006)
Racing Post Trophy - (1) - Motivator (2004)
St. James's Palace Stakes - (1) - Dr Fong (1998)
Sun Chariot Stakes - (1) - Independence (2001)
Sussex Stakes - (1) - Ali-Royal (1997)
Yorkshire Oaks - (4) - Catchascatchcan (1998), Islington (2002, 2003), Quiff (2004)

Ireland

Irish Champion Stakes - (3) - Oratorio (2005), Dylan Thomas (2006, 2007)
Irish Derby - (2) - Hurricane Run (2005), Dylan Thomas (2006)
Irish Oaks - (3) - Ramruma (1999), Ouija Board (2004), Alexandrova (2006)
Irish St. Leger - (1) - Yeats (2007)
Matron Stakes - (1) - Favourable Terms (2003)
Moyglare Stud Stakes - (1) - Rumplestiltskin (2005)
National Stakes - (1) - George Washington (2005)
Phoenix Stakes - (3) - Damson (2004), George Washington (2005), Holy Roman Emperor (2006)
Pretty Polly Stakes - (1) - Peeping Fawn (2007)
Tattersalls Gold Cup - (2) - Shiva (1999), Hurricane Run (2006)

Australia

A J Moir Stakes - (1) - California Dane (2006)
Hong Kong Jockey Club Plate - (1) - Polar Bear (2006)

France

Grand Prix de Paris - (1) - Scorpion (2005)
Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud - (2) - Gamut (2004), Mountain High (2007)
Poule d'Essai des Poulains - (1) - Aussie Rules (2006)
Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe - (2) - Hurricane Run (2005), Dylan Thomas (2007)
Prix de la Forêt - (1) - Tomba (1998)
Prix d'Ispahan - (1) - Falbrav (2003)
Prix Jean-Luc Lagardère - (3) - Hold That Tiger (2002), Horatio Nelson (2005), Holy Roman Emperor (2006)
Prix Marcel Boussac - (1) - Rumplestiltskin (2005)
Prix Morny - (2) - Elusive City (2002), Myboycharlie (2007)
Prix de l'Opéra - (1) - Zee Zee Top (2003)