SIX-TIMES champion jockey Kieren Fallon proved that you cannot keep a good man down by riding a double at Ayr yesterday, writes Martin Hannan.
Following a stint in America, 51-year-old Fallon is now based in Ireland with Michael O’Callaghan, and his two winners yesterday were for Irish trainer Adrian Keatley, a near neighbour of O’Callaghan’s at the Curragh.
Fallon booted home 9-2 chance Mo Henry to beat Chookie’s Lass in the Watch On The Racing UK App Handicap, and then brought up the double with 5-4 favourite Anonymous Lady in the Racing UK Handicap. Ridden to lead inside the final furlong, Anonymous Lady ran on well to beat Koptoon by just over a length.
Always a popular figure at Ayr where he won the Gold Cup on Grangeville in 1999, Fallon was delighted to be back in Scotland.
“I love coming here — it has been lucky for me,” he said. “Last year I was not myself, I did not feel right, so I had time off and went away. There were a few things, personal matters. I am fine now, so let us hope we can kick on. I got the opportunity when Michael (O’Callaghan) rang me to see if I would go back to Ireland to see if I could rekindle some of my form. I have really enjoyed it. It is something different but there is not racing in Ireland every day so I have come over here to try and win some races.”
Keatley made it a treble when Nice Vintage (8-1) took the Spring Promotion At Western House Hotel Handicap under 7lb claimer Robbie Dalton, with Fallon back in second place on Testa Rossa.
The latter is trained in Renfrewshire by Jim Goldie, who shared a double with jockey Danny Tudhope courtesy of Funding Deficit and Haidees Reflection.
Funding Deficit (7-1) just held Sea Wolf by a head to take the Weddings At Western House Hotel Handicap, while Haidees Reflection (9-2) landed division one of the Conference And Events At Ayr Racecourse Handicap.
Division two went to Iain Jardine’s Pick Your Battle (5-2 favourite) in the hands of Royston Ffrench.
Phillip Makin bookended the card with wins on Irish Optimism (5-1) in the opening Racing UK 1 Price 3 Devices Maiden Stakes for trainer John Quinn and on Keith Dalgleish’s Sattelac (7-2) in the concluding Racing UK’s Profits Returned To Racing Handicap.
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