Sport

Fallon's appeal of 18-month ban fails

RACING NEWS KIEREN FALLON has failed in his final appeal against the 18-month worldwide ban he received from France Galop in…

Wed Mar 05 2008 - 00:00

RACING NEWSKIEREN FALLON has failed in his final appeal against the 18-month worldwide ban he received from France Galop in January for a second positive drugs test.

The six-time champion jockey made one last attempt to three judges d'appel, who are members of a 15-strong panel of experienced racing professionals, in Paris last week. "The initial ban has been confirmed. We had official confirmation today," said Herve Naggar, Fallon's agent in France.

"It is still 18 months, but I do not know the exact dates. It's a very long time. Of course I am disappointed but we knew it would be very hard to change the ban."

Fallon incurred the suspension after testing positive for a banned substance following his winning ride aboard Sue Magnier's Myboycharlie in the Prix Morny at Deauville on August 19th.

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He only began riding in early June after completing a six-month ban for another positive test.

With Johnny Murtagh having been brought in to replace Fallon as first jockey to the Coolmore operation and trainer Aidan O'Brien, Fallon has renewed his links with Michael Stoute, for whom he will ride work this season. He rode as first jockey to Stoute from 2000 until joining O'Brien in February 2005.

Henri Pouret, head of the stewards' secretariat at France Galop, said on Monday night: "We will not be making an announcement until tomorrow morning as we do not wish to say anything until we are absolutely sure that Kieren Fallon has been informed about the decision."

France Galop should now be able to make public the precise date Fallon's suspension will end, which should be in September 2009 if the suspension is confirmed.

That would mean Fallon would be 44 should he decide to return to race-riding.

However, when news broke of the length of his suspension in January, Fallon gave every indication he would try to get his career back on track. He said at the time: "It's not a tragedy, you know, far from it. There's no doubt I'll bounce back. It's very silly of people to talk of retirement. I'm young at heart and have many years left."

n River Liane is reported to be in rude health for the Fred Winter Juvenile Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival after his easy victory at Leopardstown on Sunday.

"With the penalty (4lb) he should be certain to get in now and Davy Russell will be on him, he was very keen to keep the ride," said his Co Kerry trainer, Tom Cooper, yesterday.