Kieren Fallon, whose appeal against a three-day ban will be heard this morning, was at his strongest and most determined as he drove Gascon home in the lowly Hickling Selling Stakes at Leicester yesterday.

He did not have to work quite as hard to double up on Michael Stoute's Artillery in the Levy Board Maiden Stakes, and he will be hoping the successes are a good omen for his visit to Jockey Club today.

The three-times champion is appealing against the suspension for irresponsible riding of a minor nature which he picked up at Ayr last Thursday and which will rule him out of Saturday's Derby if the appeal fails.

If the Jockey Club disciplinary committee's finding is the same as the Ayr stewards then the ban stays at three days.

Meanwhile, Barba Papa is likely to bid for a repeat success in the Ascot Stakes at Royal Ascot later this month after he got back to winning ways at Tralee yesterday.

With Irish Grand National winning rider Timmy Murphy in the saddle, Tony Martin's smart dual purpose performer made all the running to win the Ballybeggan Racegoers Club Hurdle. He was left a distance clear when odds-on favourite Donadino fell when in with every chance at the third-last flight.

Murphy, among the winners at Sligo on Sunday, completed a double when Get Along ran out the comfortable winner of the Fenit Mares Maiden Hurdle. The Baltimore Man and Charlie Swan made all the running to win the Joseph J Grace Memorial Novice Hurdle.

Shallee, a faller at the second last when clear at Tipperary last time, made no mistake in the Ballybeggan Racegoers Club Handicap Hurdle.

A winner at Cork on Saturday, Lucky Gem made a quick return to the winners enclosure after readily accounting for Ealshill Song.