Sport

Delighted Luca Cumani gets first call on Kieren Fallon

Ready to return: Kieren Fallon
Simon Milham
13 April 2012

Kieren Fallon is to formally link up with Luca Cumani when the rider makes his long-awaited return to the saddle at Lingfield.

The Newmarket trainer has admitted he has struck a "gentleman's agreement" that will see the six-time champion jockey offering Cumani first refusal for his services.

Cumani revealed: "Nothing is set in stone, or in writing, but we have discussed it and we have a gentleman's agreement that he will ride for me when he is available. I will have first call on his services and I'm very happy with the arrangement.

"Kieren looks really good and very fit. He has been riding plenty of work for me and he is very focused."

Fallon, who is returning from an 18-month drugs ban, is expected to partner leading three-year-old filly Fantasia for Cumani in a Listed race at Doncaster on 10 September. He is also set to ride the stable's top juvenile filly Seta, who is 8-1 second favourite with sponsors Stan James for next season's 1,000 Guineas.

Skybet have slashed the William Haggas-trained High Standing to 3-1 favourite for the Group 1 Sprint Cup at Haydock on Saturday.

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Fallon, who will meet officials from the British Horseracing Authority today to re-apply for his riding licence, will partner the four-year-old Wokingham Handicap winner in the absence of rival Ryan Moore, who is suspended.

The pair could be set for an intriguing battle for the jockeys' title next season. Both will ride for Sir Michael Stoute and it remains to be seen how that dynamic will work. It is rumoured that tensions have already run high at Freemason Lodge.

Fallon, who recently said he should be "around even money" to win the title in 2010, is 3-1 with Skybet.

They make the 44-year-old a 10-11 chance with a 35-winner start in a match bet with Moore, who admits he will ride "quality over quantity".

Meanwhile, Tony Culhane has been hit with a 14-day careless riding ban for his part in the fatal fall of All Spin, which also left jockey Paul Mulrennan with a suspected broken collarbone, at Newcastle yesterday.

Culhane's mount Mazzola hampered one rival and caused the Alan Jarvis-trained All Spin to fall.

Culhane, who is stood down from 14 September, said: "I crossed over and I knew there was one horse there, I didn't realise there were two. Thank goodness Paul isn't seriously hurt."