Kieren Fallon's season may be about to take a turn for the better after North Light stamped himself a live Vodafone Derby contender with an impressive performance to win the totesport Dante Stakes at York yesterday.
The champion jockey, still to face an inquiry into newspaper allegations, is only third in the championship race behind his great rivals Frankie Dettori and Darryll Holland. But he was all smiles after he took this Group Two prize aboard 6 to 1 chance North Light and immediately nominated the handsome and well-built horse as a live candidate to give him a third win in the world's most famous Flat race.
"He's got everything you would like for the race," he said. "He's got toe, a great attitude and there's no reason why he wouldn't stay the trip. The only worry I had today was that he might be a top-of-the-ground horse, but that good to soft going didn't seem to stop him."
Fallon kicked on as the field turned for home with five furlongs to travel in this Derby trial. And although North Light was strongly challenged by Frankie Dettori on Rule Of Law in the closing stages, he battled on gamely. The Michael Stoute-trained winner held on by half a length, with the 3 to 1 favourite Let The Lion Roar a further two and a half lengths away in third. "It was a great trial - possibly the strongest of them so far," Fallon went on. "I wanted to make it a test as they weren't going that very quick so I kicked on a long way from home, and on the first run of the season it's a tough ask to do that.
"I didn't know Frankie was coming at me. I could see the two on my right, but he took me by surprise a bit. I nearly did a Ballinger Ridge! He's got more speed than his half-brothers (useful stayers Cover Up and Researched) and he's a good horse going the right way at the right time."
North Light is a best-priced 10 to 1 chance with Victor Chandler as he bids to become the seventh horse to complete the Dante-Derby double. Initial quotes of 12 to 1 from William Hill and Paddy Power immediately after the race were soon lapped up.
Stoute said he felt his charge had "an each-way chance. I can't tell you that he's going to hack up," he smiled. "But it was a very solid performance."
