KIEREN Fallon, who is ruled out of Saturday's Vodafone Derby because of suspension, can gain rich compensation at Epsom tomorrow.
The former Norton jockey is poised to gain a Royal victory on Flight Of Fancy in the £325,000 Vodafone Oaks and also has first-rate chances of winning the £250,000 Vodafone Coronation Cup on Petrushka.
It was at York last month that Fallon came in for criticism from Lord Carnarvon, racing manager to the Queen, over his riding of the Queen's Flight Of Fancy in the Musidora Stakes.
The filly, keen early on, was settled at the rear of the field by Fallon in the early stages. Picking up ground in the straight, she finished fourth to Time Away.
The indications from that effort are that the extra one and a half furlongs of tomorrow's Epsom race will suit Flight Of Fancy much better.
Although she does not appear to be the most straightforward of rides, Flight Of Fancy apparently has an abundance of talent.
I fancy her to get the better of Aidan O'Brien's Irish 1,000 Guineas winner Imagine, and Zanzibar, trained by Michael Bell and the recent winner of the Italian Oaks.
Fallon lost his appeal on Monday against the three-day riding ban he received at Ayr last week, which means that he is not able to ride either Golan or Dilshaan in Saturday's Vodafone Derby.
But he partnered three winners yesterday - one at Newcastle in the afternoon and two at Beverley last night - and has another wonderful big-race mount tomorrow in Petrushka.
Like Flight Of Fancy and Fallon's original choice of Derby mounts, Petrushka is trained by Sir Michael Stoute, who has few peers when it comes to plotting the programme of older horses.
Petrushka won the Irish Oaks and the Yorkshire Oaks last season, as well as the Prix de L'Opera, and is a proven top-class filly.
Although she lacks a race this season, I still expect Petrushka to have too much quality for Millenary, last year's St Leger winner, who made a successful return to racing at Newmarket last month.
Fallon and Stoute can complete an Epsom treble tomorrow with the promising Top Dirham in the Vodafone Multimedia Handicap.
I think that French raider Miliana, a winner at Longchamp last month, can take the opening race, the Princess Elizabeth Stakes.
The David Nicholls trained Peartree House should not be overlooked in the £50,000 Vodafone Corporate Handicap.
Catterick racecourse is still out of action because of foot and mouth regulations, so Beverley have taken over the meeting originally planned to be staged at Catterick tomorrow.
Sir Sandrovitch, who did not get the best of runs when finishing a close-up fourth at Ayr last week, can gain compensation in the Tommy McPherson Handicap, Paul Hanagan again has the mount on Butterick, near Malton, trainer Richard Fahey's sprinter.
Mel Brittain's Cassandra, who showed plenty of courage to get off the mark at Ripon four weeks ago, is napped to follow-up in the netbetsports.com Handicap. Tyrone Williams has the mount on the Warthill five-year-old.
- Kieren Fallon was fined £150 at Newcastle yesterday after riding Izmail to victory in the first race. The stewards decided that he failed to ride to his draw.
Tomorrow's tips:
Epsom
2.00 - Miliana
2.35 - Peartree House
3.10 - Petrushka
3.55 - Flight Of Fancy
4.35 - Top Dirham
5.05 - Amicable
5.40 - Lailani
Beverley
2.25 - Marshman
3.00 - Aporto
3.35 - Sir Sandrovitch
4.10 - Cassandra (Nap)
4.45 - Fiddlesticks
5.20 - Dash of Magic
Updated: 12:18 Thursday, June 07, 2001
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article