Fallon kicks clear with five winners

Kieren Fallon maintained the ferocious pace that has taken him clear of Kevin Darley, Richard Quinn and Pat Eddery in the race for the jockeys' championship with a hat-trick at Lingfield yesterday afternoon and a further brace at Kempton last night. The five winners brought Fallon's total to 87 for the season, 16 more than his nearest rival, Darley. The tally includes 23 wins in the last fortnight alone.

Fallon's 64-1 Lingfield treble was highlighted by his win on the two-year-old Asheer, who looked a useful performer in turning over the well-regarded favourite, Krugerrand, by a head. The pair had the contest between them in the last two furlongs, and finished nine lengths clear of Frodo and Red China, who dead-heated for third.

Pip Payne, Asheer's trainer, reported that his Wokingham Stakes winner, Nice One Clare, will return to Ascot on Saturday week to run in the seven-furlong Tote International Stakes. She will be reunited with Johnny Murtagh who rode her to victory at the Royal meeting.

"We've asked Murtagh to ride, although the way the handicapper has treated her we probably could have got Tony McCoy," Payne said. "She's gone up 8lb since the Wokingham, which is horrendous."

Ed Dunlop has warned that the ante-post favourite Surprise Encounter is only a "possible" runner in the Tote International. His gelding holds an alternative entry in the William Hill Mile at Goodwood.

Sir Michael Stoute's Alexius, who made a winning debut at Newmarket's July meeting, has been trimmed to 16-1 (from 20-1) by Coral for the St Leger. Morshdi, runner-up to Galileo in the Irish Derby, remains the 5-2 market leader, ahead of Wareed and Beekeeper, who are both on 10-1.