Jockey Paul Hanagan escaped with just a bang on th head in a frightening fall at York races on Saturday.

Hospital examinations revealed he had a lucky escape from serious injury when thrown from Ballet Master before the third race.

The apprentice rider was taken to hospital by ambulance

His boss, Butterwick, near Malton, trainer Richard Fahey, said: "He's fine and he's back home. They checked him over at hospital and he has just got a bang on the head.

"He will be stood down for three weeks, which is a bit of shame but it could have been a lot worse."

Kieren Fallon put on a late show to win the William Hill Trophy in thrilling fashion on 10-1 shot Orientor.

Armagnac went for home a furlong out, and with 100 yards to run it looked as if he would hold on, but Fallon brought Orientor with a storming run to get up in the last stride for a short-head success.

Winning trainer Jim Goldie was gaining his most important success, and having watched Fallon ride his first winner for him, said with a smile: "My first impression was that he had got there, but the more I looked at the film I wasn't sure.

"Kieren had looked confident that he would get there, he was riding to instructions - the horse has got in front before and been beaten - but I thought he would have got there a bit sooner!"

Orientor was bought for a bargain 12,000 guineas as a yearling, and Goldie who rates him as one of the best he has trained, added: "He's in the Wokingham and the Cork and Orrery at Royal Ascot, but he will get a penalty for the Wokingham so I think he will go for the other."

* John Gosden's classy three-year-old colt Clearing has been fatally injured on the gallops at Manton, it was announced today.

The Victor Chandler European Free Handicap winner was put down after shattering a hind pastern bone during his final work-out for tomorrow's St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Updated: 12:38 Monday, June 18, 2001