Profile - Kieren Fallon

Just a few months ago things were beginning to look up again for Kieren Fallon. The champion jockey had been suffering one of his worst years - which, given that his career has been steeped in controversy, is saying something - but his confidence had started to return and he felt good enough by the end of May to declare: "Suddenly I feel a whole lot better about everything."

And now this. Once more the finger of suspicion is pointed at Fallon; the jockey whose reputation has suffered more dents than is perhaps seemly is back in the public eye, and for all the wrong reasons.

Although the summer was kind to Fallon - a second successive Derby helped - he has yet to clear his name over the most recent allegations against him, which followed the infamous race at Lingfield in which it appeared he threw away an easy victory when he eased up on Ballinger Ridge. Worse was to come as Fallon was

accused by the News of the World of telling undercover journalists before the race that eventual winner Rye would beat Ballinger Ridge.

Fallon served a 21-day suspension for not riding out for first place. The Jockey Club also told him that he and his friend and fellow jockey, John Egan, must attend a hearing into whether they had acted in a manner prejudicial to racing's integrity and good reputation in respect of their dealings with undercover reporters.

A charge of accepting money or benefit in kind for tips was dropped but the pair are still due to face a charge of bringing racing into disrepute. Both strenuously deny all the allegations.

While it is undoubtedly true that as a jockey Fallon has few equals in the saddle - he has six titles as champion jockey and three Derby winners - he has had a distinctly chequered career, littered with suspensions and clashes with the authorities.

Now 39, he came from humble County Clare stock and began his career as a jobbing jockey on the northern circuit. He first came to the attention of the authorities in 1994 when he was banned for seven days for hitting fellow rider Chris Rutter with his whip. Later the same year he was banned for six months for violent or improper conduct after pulling another jockey off his horse.

More controversy came the following year when he rode Top Cees to finish fifth in a race at Newmarket, prompting scrutiny by stewards to see if Fallon had tried hard enough. Three weeks later Top Cees won the valuable Chester Cup, sparking a degree of dissatisfaction among punters and a leader in the Sporting Life which talked of "cheating". Fallon sued for libel and won. The jockey has twice been fined for verbally abuse at racecourses. Controversy has also followed him off the course. In 1999 he was sacked by Henry Cecil - with whom he had had a highly successful career, including winning the 1999 Derby on Oath - following a newspaper report of a relationship with the trainer's wife.

Fallon denied the accusation and his claim for unfair dismissal was settled out of court with a six-figure payment.

Almost immediately he took up what was seen as the best job in racing, riding for royal trainer Sir Michael Stoute.

Fallon, who has three children with former jockey Julie Bowker, has an excellent record as a flat racer. The only time he missed winning champion jockey in the past six years was in 2000 when he suffered a shoulder injury in a fall which threatened to end his career. Four times he has ridden 200 winners in a year.

His success last year came months after he had checked into an Irish clinic to undergo a month-long programme of treatment for a drink problem.