Kieren Fallon returns to race riding in Britain for the first time since July 2006. I am sure he will be in great demand by trainers and owners. With so many top jockeys having lengthy bans he is sure to pick up some tasty rides. He resumes his riding career on Friday 4th September. It was while he was able to ride in Ireland and on the Continent that he rode his last big winner on Dylan Thomas when he won the Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe in a photo finish from Youmzain (also survived a thirty-five minute stewards' enquiry) in 2007. He subsequently received an eighteen month ban imposed by the French racing authorities at the beginning of 2008 for failing a drug test. He gets the ride on Youmzain in this years Prix de L'Arc de Triomphe. Would it not be strange if Youmzain got his head in front this year ? Kieren Fallon is still only 44 (Mick Kinane is 50 and still going strong) so I am positive he has a lot more winners in him over the next few seasons. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".

Once again I recorded Channel 4's excellent Saturday afternoon racing program on my Sky+ box and watched it as soon as I arrived home after watching Ipswich thrash Bristol City 6 - 0 at Portman Road. It was great entertainment there. I just wish they could get better results away from home. They will be there abouts in the Championship race come the end of the season. I did not know any racing news, so the Channel 4 program covering the climax of the flat jockey's championship unfolded as pure theatre. No script could have been better written. The outcome of a dead heat was I am sure what most racing fans would have wanted. To go to the very last race of the season was absolutely unbelievable. The coverage on the news programs was great for racing in general. Seb Sanders went off to Wolverhampton's evening meeting to ride a filly for his boss Sir Mark Prescott, whereas Jamie Spencer admitted he was wrecked and going home to his bed. Who could blame him as he has the lovely Emma to snuggle up to. All our attentions can now be focused on the Chasers and Hurdlers and the forthcoming Open meeting at Cheltenham which starts this coming Friday 16th and finishes on Sunday 18th. The feature race of the meeting will be the Paddy Power Gold Cup Steeple Chase worth £120,000 and run over 2 miles 4 furlongs on the Saturday. More of that later. For all the runners and riders with the jockey's colours go to Paddy Power and click on "Horse Racing".