Fallon loses appeal

Kieren Fallon was yesterday ruled out of the last two days of this week's Newmarket July meeting after he failed to overturn a three-day ban.

He will be out of action from tomorrow as the appeals and referrals committee of the Turf Club rejected his attempt to get the suspension, imposed for careless riding on Irish Derby day at the Curragh, lifted.

The British champion jockey was upset at being penalised for his ride on Curragh Cup winner Memorise and appealed against the verdict at a 40-minute hearing, which was also attended by his solicitor Andrew Coonan and Pat Shanahan, rider of runner-up Stage Affair.

But after a further 30 minutes of deliberation the panel disallowed his appeal and upheld the original suspension.

All Fallon would say, before dashing off to ride at Windsor last night, was: "It is not the end of the world."

Coonan added: "We're disappointed in the circumstances as it certainly wasn't the clearest example ever of careless riding. "We felt there was room for discretion on the day and again here with the committee."

Henry Cecil's stable-jockey will miss several fancied rides at Newmarket, notably Bold Fact in Thursday's Darley July Cup.

Fallon will return to action on Saturday - at a venue yet to be determined - but will then be sidelined for another two days due to a whip ban he picked up at Haydock on Friday.

Fallon again leads the jockeys' championship, having ridden 93 winners. By the time he returns, he will have served a total of 13 days' suspension from five different bans this year.

Jan 27th - Banned for two days for incorrect use of whip on Half Tone at Lingfield.

Feb 21st - Banned for three days for careless riding on Bowcliffe at Wolverhampton.

May 12th - Banned for three day for irresponsible riding on Bawsian at York.

Jun 28th - Banned for three days for careless riding on Memorise at the Curragh.

Jul 3rd - Banned for two day for incorrect use of the whip on Superior Premium at Haydock.