Despite Ban Reduction Kieren Fallon Will Miss the Guineas

It is a bittersweet reduction for Kieren Fallon as the controversy that has dogged him in recent weeks has ultimately led to him being left out in the cold ahead of this weekend's Guineas meeting. The flat jockey incurred the ban after being caught for second at Kempton last week and was judged to have not been riding to the line.

The ban was originally set at ten days but was shortened to seven days after an appeal. However, the timing of the ban runs directly over the Guineas meetins at Newmarket and Fallon will be sidelined from April 27-May 3, inclusive.

The panel found Fallon guilty of not riding out to the line but they reduced the ban after concluding that he may not have been able to hold on to second place as it was.

Fallon's lawyer spoke to the media shortly after the judgement with Rory Mac Neice stating, “The decision of the panel demonstrates that Kieran was justified in his appeal.” He also declared that Fallon would be able to ride at the upcoming Chester meeting.

The ban was certainly come as a disappointment for Fallon who would have had a preferred choice of mounts for the weekend's high-end contests. Native Khan (Azamour) or Fury (Invincible Spirit) likely would have been Fallon's options for the 2000 Guineas.

Fallon is something of a controversial figure in racing having been accused, but never formally proven, of race-fixing. In 2008, the Irish hockey received a ban of a year and a half based on a positive test at Deauville. Prior to that ban, he had been caught with another positive test by France Galop and suspended for a metabolite of a banned substance.

Kieren Fallon has never won the 2000 Guineas but is famous for winning the next classic, the Epsom Derby, three times.