Racing: Fallon denies not trying to win on Top Cees

Kieren Fallon yesterday told the High Court that he was not a cheat. Fallon and the trainer Lynda Ramsden are sueing The Sporting Life for libel over what they say was a "savage verbal onslaught" in the paper in May 1995 alleging that the Ramsdens and Fallon had conspired to deceive by not trying to win a Newmarket race with Top Cees.

Ramsden's counsel, Patrick Milmo QC, pointed out to Fallon that the allegation made by The Sporting Life was that "you were not trying to win or trying to get the best place for that horse" in the Newmarket race. He asked the jockey:"Is there any truth in that?" Fallon replied: "No, sir."

Mr Milmo asked Fallon how he had reacted to a letter from the Jockey Club which criticised his riding in that race. "I wasn't satisfied with my riding either. I went for the wrong gaps," Fallon said. "If I'd taken the right ones I probably would have won." But he denied that he had failed to ride Top Cees with sufficient effort.

The case continues today.