- Fallon rode Montassib to victory in the Betfair Sprint Cup at Haydock Park
- Montassib was not a favourite among the punters to beat the field and win
- The win was Fallon’s first at Haydock, the same amount as his legendary father
It was just like old times and the Haydock Park crowd loved it – how could they not as a jockey called Fallon rode like a demon to win a Group One?
The days of Kieren Fallon, the six-time Champion, being in the saddle have long since ended up his son, Cieren, is blessed with considerable talent of his own and how he showed it when delivering Montassib, an unconsidered 25/1 chance, to pilfer the Betfair Sprint Cup.
For all that his price was big – and that fancied horses such as Inisherin and Elite Status sank without trace – the reception around the paddock from a knowledgeable crowd for a young man who was raised 10 miles from this Merseyside course was raucous.
Carrying such a famous name can be as much a curse as a blessing for those whose parents rewrote the rules and it would be wrong to expect Fallon Jr to replicate the achievements of his father, who was a wizard and landed 96 Group Ones during his career.
His son, however, now has many victories in Haydock’s premier flat race – Kieren was successful on Society Rock in 2012 – and the joy trainer William Haggas took from seeing the 25-year-old fend off the challenge of 14/1 shot Kind Of Blue in the final furlong was immense.
Cieren Fallon rode Montassib to victory in front of a raucous crowd at Haydock Park
Trainer William Haggas was delighted with Fallon’s performance to win the Betfair Sprint Cup
Fallon had overcome serious injuries and the death of a close friend prior to the win
‘Like all jockeys he thrives on confidence and he needs to ride winners to get his confidence up,’ said Haggas, who also responsible for saddling third-placed Unequal Love (12/1). ‘He’s done very well and we are delighted for him.
‘Sons of famous sportsmen don’t always work out but he’s his own man and doing very well. That’s his first Group One winner for us. He’s had a couple of injuries that have been upsetting for him, and annoying for us, but he gets a tune out of this horse, which is terrific.’
Haggas, who had enjoyed a double here on Friday, knows his team is running well but he was still happily gobsmacked about the result, as Montassib – tough and honest though he is – had never quite indicated he was a Group One winner in waiting.
Fallon, on the other hand, was emotional. This has been a demanding 12 months, with his injuries including a significant knee issue and – most recently – a broken back that left him unable to move for a week. He also suffered the trauma of his losing his close friend, Stefano Cherchi, an Italian jockey who had worked in England but was killed in a fall in Australia in the spring.
‘What a performance,” Fallon said. “He’s a horse you have to ride with a lot of confidence and take your time on. This result came from Stefano. We lost him earlier this year and I believe he had a gap for me in this race. To do this for Mr Haggas is incredible. He’s supported me since I was a kid.’
