Fallon survives horror fall

Kieren Fallon emerged unscathed from a nasty-looking fall aboard Vodafone Derby

second Eagle Mountain in the Juddmonte Grand Prix de Paris at Longchamp on

Saturday evening.

Aidan O'Brien's Rock Of Gibraltar colt was sent off the favourite for the Group

One contest but only lasted around four furlongs before unseating Fallon.

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Eagle Mountain was in behind Sagara but encountered scrimmaging with subsequent

winner Zambezi Sun, who appeared to veer slightly right into Fallon's mount.

The Irish rider was taken off the track on a stretcher wearing a neck-brace and

was then examined by a racecourse medic, who gave him the all-clear.

Herve Nagar, the jockey's French agent, said: "He is OK and has left the track

after having a massage.

"He left with no problems whatsoever.

"There was no need to go to hospital after the fall and he is fine."

Fallon is also likely to be fit to ride Peeping Fawn in the Darley Irish Oaks

at the Curragh this afternoon.

"I do not see any reason why he will not be able to ride on Sunday," added

Nagar.

Stephane Pasquier, rider of Zambezi Sun, said: "We were fighting for our place

and it looked like he clipped the heels of the horse in front (Sagara).

"I hope it's nothing serious for Kieren."

Fallon's fall compounded a testing week for the six-time champion jockey, who

on Thursday formally pleaded not guilty to a charge of conspiracy to defraud in

connection with an alleged plot to fix the results of races.

Although he is still banned from riding in Britain, the 42-year-old has been in

fine form since his return from suspension after testing positive for a

metabolite of a prohibited substance in France.

Having marked his return from a six-month ban with a winner on his first ride

back at Tipperary on June 7, Fallon also landed Group One victories aboard

Mountain High in the Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud and Peeping Fawn in the Pretty

Polly Stakes.

Although inextricably linked to Fallon's spill, Khalid Abdullah's Zambezi Sun

was a most impressive winner after surviving a stewards' inquiry.

Pasquier bided his time aboard Pascal Bary's Dansili colt, but cranked up the

gears five from home.

The French jockey slipped into a more prominent position behind the

front-running Axxos, who eventually finished a gallant second.

The trailblazing German raider was swamped inside the last as Zambezi Sun

bounded clear to record an emphatic success.

Celebrations had to be put on ice, however, as O'Brien lodged an appeal against

the riding of Pasquier and his part in Fallon's fall.

Thierry Gillet, rider of third-placed Sagara, also contested the ride of

Andrasch Starke, who partnered Axxos.

But after a lengthy inquiry, Zambezi Sun's five-length defeat of Axxos was left

unaltered.

Bary said: "The horse won so easily it would have been harsh to take it away

from him.

"But we were still nervous after viewing the film."

Pasquier added: "He won as if he was in a different class to the rest of the

field and he will go on to the Arc."

VC Bet were most impressed and cut the winner from 16-1 to 8s for the Longchamp

feature on October 7.

Significantly, the Grand Prix de Paris was won last year by Arc hero Rail Link,

who is also owned by Abdullah.