Racing Week: Another blow for Fallon

Fallon fails in US courts

Attempts to clear Kieran Fallon’s name before Arlington’s prestigious meeting on Saturday have been dashed by a Chicago court. Fallon’s legal representatives failed in their bid to secure an injunction against the decision of the Illinois Racing Board not to grant him a licence.

Fallon faces a trial next year on charges of conspiracy to defraud and is suspended from riding in Britain.

However he still holds an Irish licence and is free to ride in other European countries and thus hoped to be permitted to ride at Arlington. A replacement jockey will ride the two runners he was allocated.

White filly stuns at sales

A rare white filly sold for $40,000 at the recent Kentucky Fasig-Tipton sales. Nicknamed Caramel Sundae, the filly has is not related to any of the handful of white thoroughbreds registered with the Jockey Club.

When American racing stud owners Nancy and Mike Mazzoni’s dark bay mare foaled a white thoroughbred filly by the chestnut stallion Trust N Luck, they suspected there had been a mix-up. But DNA tests at University of California Davis confirmed that the foal was indeed the thoroughbred daughter of Trust N Luck.

Injury compensation rises

British-based jockeys have had their first increase in injury compensation payments under the Professional Riders Insurance Scheme (PRIS) for nearly three and a half years.

A new policy has resulted in significant savings and the PRIS trustees have lifted the levels of compensation in all areas.

Weekly payments for jockeys temporarily unable to ride because of injury have gone up by five %. Individual amounts are on a sliding scale, based on the number of rides in a season, and previously varied from around £121 for a rider with up to 74 rides, to a maximum of £1,255 for one with 600 miles of more.

Compensation for fatally injured jockeys has increased by 33%, from £225,000 to £300,000 and when permanently disabled by 66% from £300,000 to £500,000.

Culhane sidelined

Tony Culhane will not ride for a month after breaking his right collarbone in a fall at Pontefract on Wednesday.

Culhane, who has ridden 68 winners this season, is visiting a specialist today but he fears it will be mid-September before he is fit to ride.

Britain to get top all-weather

A £400,000 all-weather gallop is being constructed on Lambourn’s famous Mandown. The gallop, known locally as “the back of the hill” is used primarily by jump trainers and the facelift represents the first stage of a £3 million development by Mandown’s new owner, Jockey Club estates.

The mile-long gallop’s existing woodchip surface has been ripped out and Eucotrack, an improved type of Polytrack, is going to be installed over the coming days. The facility will be ready within a fortnight and officially opened on 11 September.

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