Fallon on course for 200 turf wins

Kieren Fallon, enjoying a memorable season, is determined to reach 200 winners on turf after notching up the double century for…

Kieren Fallon, enjoying a memorable season, is determined to reach 200 winners on turf after notching up the double century for the year as a whole.

The champion achieved the landmark for a fourth time when scoring on the Paul Cole-trained Akritas in the Bet attheraces Median Auction Maiden Stakesat Newmarket.

Akritas, a 52,000 guineas yearling, took up the running entering the Dip in the mile test and he stretched out well up the hill to pass the post one-and-a-half lengths clear of First Note with Flamjica three lengths away in third.

The bay colt holds an entry in the Darley Dewhurst Stakes and Cole's assistant Liam Kelly said: "He did it well, Kieren gave him a lovely ride, he kept hold of him and taught him a bit - and he said he feels like a nice horse."

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Fallon's total includes 11 winners on the all-weather before the turf season started, which do not count as far as the jockeys' championship is concerned and he is now poised to top his personal best score of 204 achieved in 1998, having reached 202 the previous year and 201 in 1999.

He has won the title on five occasions in the past six years, missing out only in 2000 when his season was cut short after he sustained a very serious career-threatening shoulder injury in a fall at Royal Ascot.

With a sixth championship already in safe keeping, he said: "It is nice to get 200 again, it was the target at the start of the year, but I have been a bit lazy recently and dropped my guard.

"Hopefully I can get 200 on the grass now, I need another 11 before the turf season ends at Doncaster on November 8th."

Fallon's victories this term include Classic successes on Russian Rhythm in the 1000 Guineas and Kris Kin in the Vodafone Derby.