Sport

Fallon looks back to his best

DONCASTER REPORT: KIEREN FALLON showed he was back to his best with a brilliant display to land a 21 to 1 double on the opening…

Thu Sept 10 2009 - 01:00

DONCASTER REPORT:KIEREN FALLON showed he was back to his best with a brilliant display to land a 21 to 1 double on the opening day of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster yesterday.

The six-times champion only returned to the saddle last Friday following his well-publicised absence but it is already as though he has never been away.

He made both his wins look easy despite coming from unpromising positions to win on both Audacity Of Hope (3 to 1 favourite) and Strike The Deal (9 to 2).

The latter took the feature Scarbrough Stakes despite the Jeremy Noseda-trained sprinter being slowly away. Fallon bided his time in last place and he was rewarded when the gaps appeared at the right time. Strike The Deal burst through in the closing stages to beat Spin Cycle by a length.

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Fallon said: “He banged on the gates when we jumped out, but I’ve always liked this horse and he’s obviously just come good. They thought bringing him back in trip might suit him. It wasn’t the plan to be so far back but he was leaning on the gates. Thankfully the gaps came good for him.”

Fallon also looked trapped at halfway on Audacity Of Hope in the Wilkinson Frenchgate Nursery, but he switched the Charlie McBride-trained youngster to the outside and went on to win cosily by a length and a quarter from Pleasant Day.

“I was in a lot of trouble early on and I couldn’t get out,” said Fallon.

“There was no room on the inside so I had to get out on the outside. It took me a long time to do that but he picked up instantly and this was a good nursery.”

Twice Over may try to go one better in the Emirates Airline Champion Stakes after recording his first victory for 14 months.

He was runner-up to New Approach in the Newmarket feature last October and appreciated the drop in grade when outclassing the opposition in the Debenhams Frenchgate Conditions Stakes.

The 4 to 6 shot was always going well for Tom Queally, going on a furlong out to win by a length and three-quarters from Serva Jugum. Trainer Henry Cecil’s assistant Mike Marshall said: “He could possibly go for the Champion Stakes again.”