KIEREN FALLON may once have had a reputation as a hot-head but after winning yesterday's Epsom Oaks on the warm favourite, Reams Of Verse, it was easy to wonder if what flows through the new Fallon's veins is cooler than is strictly healthy.
The Co Clare born rider's past brushes with authority led many sceptics to predict a short-lived partnership with the urbane Henry Cecil when they joined forces at the start of the season, but they have now picked up two classics in five weeks.
However, there was more than one moment yesterday when it all looked so unlikely. Reams Of Verse, whose stamina had been doubted beforehand, endured a nightmare journey up the straight, being blocked twice in an erratic concertina of drifting horses that possibly caused the Irish raider Ebadiyla, a couple of places.
Ebadiyla eventually finished sixth but never threatened to win; Reams Of Verse, in contrast, was always travelling best of all but was twice checked in her effort.
Firstly, stablemate Yashmak and Michael Kinane halted her progress and then the French outsider Gazelle Royale, under a dervish-like ride from Jimmy Fortune, drifted right across everybody. Gazelle Royale forced Yashmak on to Ebadiyla, who had briefly led early in the straight, causing Johnny Murtagh to snatch up.
On an odds-on favourite, the race had become something of a jockey's nightmare but Fallon's sangfroid was something to behold as he calmly pulled Reams Of Verse to the outside and rhythmically pushed her a length and a half clear of Gazelle Royale. Remarkably, Fallon said afterwards that he had welcomed the interference.
Funnily enough I didn't worry about it. She has a very quick turn of foot and it was helping me more than anything else. If I didn't find trouble, I would have kicked sooner than I wanted to. So it turned out well," he assured everybody.
Cecil, in contrast, had the look of a relieved man, revealing that he had inwardly believed beforehand that Reams Of Verse would win well. "I rate her highly, especially now, considering she had to get out of trouble and didn't have the clearest of runs. When she got out, she showed how good she is," Cecil said.
Saudi owner Prince Khalid Abdullah was winning the Oaks for the first time and didn't rule out the possibility of supplementing Reams Of Verse for the Irish Oaks.
That is the definite next target for Ebadiyla. Jockey Johnny Murtagh reported: "I was squeezed a little in the straight but to trainer John Oxx agreed but added: "Without the interference she might have finished fourth. She didn't travel as well in the race as I thought she would, but she will improve and we'll go for the Irish Oaks."
Ebadiyla finished with six behind her, but Oscar Schindler brought up the rear of the five-runner Coronation Cup, won with supreme ease by Singspiel. The result was never in doubt once Frankie Dettori kicked the Dubai World Cup winner clear in the straight, but Oscar Schindler faded disappointingly quickly when asked to quicken by Stephen Craine.
"The race turned into a four-furlong sprint and when they quickened, I didn't," Craine reported to Kevin Prendergast, who is now considering running Oscar Schindler in the King George. It would be nice avoid Singspiel, though," Prendergast added.
Singspiel's prizemoney total now stands at £3,446,786 and an exultant Dettori said: "He's a hero and a champion. It's very exciting to ride a horse like that - it gives me goose pimples every time!"
. Epsom hailed an Oaks day crowd of just under 20,000 as justification of its efforts to build up the quality of yesterday's card.
The attendance showed a 25 per cent rise on last year's figure which did not feature the Coronation Cup, switched to Friday this time.
