Broken back leaves Fallon facing untimely spell on the sidelines

Adam Morgan
July 3, 2024 4:38 pm

In-form jockey had been ‘knocking in the winners left, right and centre’.

Cieren Fallon’s hot run of form has been brought to a shuddering halt after an injury suffered at Windsor on Monday will keep him on the sidelines during the height of summer.

The 25-year-old had booted home seven winners in the last two weeks and hit the headlines when registering a double at Newcastle on Saturday, steering home both Wiltshire and then Montassib for trainer William Haggas.

Montassib’s Chipchase Stakes victory took Fallon to 26 winners for the season, but he will now have to wait to add to his tally, having suffered a broken back.

Cieren Fallon tasted big-race success at Newcastle on Saturday (Steve Welsh/PA)

He had finished 12th of 14 aboard the Georgie Nicholls-trained Nanna Western in the British EBF Restricted Maiden Stakes when unshipped from his mount returning to the paddock after the race.

The untimely incident will keep Fallon grounded during one of the busiest periods of the season, but the Group One-winning rider already has his eye on a swift healing process having escaped needing surgery.

Fallon said: “It’s definitely come at the wrong time. There’s never a good time to have an injury but especially in the middle of the season when you are knocking in the winners left, right and centre.

“It’s just one of those things and I had an injury in the winter and recovered well, so if I recover well again, I can get ready for the back-end of the season.

“There’s no timescale been given, but luckily I don’t need any operations or surgery and that’s a plus. It’s still a bit of an unknown really about how long it is going to be but I’m getting the best treatment I can and hope to be back as soon as possible.”