Fallon escapes serious injury after Leicester fall

Racing News: Champion jockey Kieren Fallon was discharged from hospital last night as fears that he may have suffered a serious injury in a Leicester race fall proved groundless.

He had been carried into an ambulance by stretcher and taken to Leicester Royal Infirmary after being hurled to the ground when his mount stumbled in the penultimate race at the East Midlands track. But his agent Dave Pollington said: "There is nothing broken, though he did have quite a bang on the head."

A hospital spokesman added that Fallon had undergone a series of tests "as any person who has suffered a heavy fall and a bump on the head would", before he was allowed to go home.

Fallon's hopes of a seventh jockeys' championship appeared to have been extinguished by the fall and rival Frankie Dettori's treble at the track.

But there was speculation last night that he could even ask the course doctor to allow him to resume riding with another stint at Leicester today.

The incident occurred in the 5.10 race, the second division of the EBF Hare Maiden Fillies' Stakes, which was won by Dettori on Saywaan. Fallon (39) was thrown to the ground as he tumbled from the Michael Stoute-trained Maritima in bumping over a furlong from the finish. Having been catapulted out of the saddle, Fallon was then kicked by the following horse, Bowled Out.

Paramedics were immediately on the scene to attend to the champion, who reportedly remained conscious throughout the incident but was complaining of pain in his back.

The stewards held an inquiry and found that the fall was caused by Abide clipping the heels of a rival, lurching left and barging into Fallon's mount.

Bookmakers responded to the afternoon's events by suspending betting on the jockeys' championship as Dettori stretched his advantage to 13 with his treble.

He scored on Yashin, Sunday Symphony and Saywaan as he stepped up his challenge to win the title for a third time.

Meanwhile, at Roscommon yesterday, Always recorded his fourth success over fences when gaining a hard-fought victory in the Kilbegnet EBF Novice Chase.

Paul Carberry's mount came to challenge the front-running Old Flame at the second last but had to work to get the better of that rival, edging ahead at the last and staying on for a three-parts-of-a-length verdict at the line.

Carberry and winning trainer Noel Meade quickly doubled up when Mullacash took the Boyle Handicap Chase in good style. The gelding hit the lead after the second last and went clear for an eight-length success.