Fallon 'banned for 18 months over failed test'

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Kieren Fallon has been banned from racing for 18 months by France Galop after testing positive for a banned substance following a race at Deauville in August 2007, according to reports.

Fallon appeared before the French racing authorities on Wednesday as they considered the case of the six-time champion jockey, whose B-test sample confirmed the original positive test for a banned substance.

The hearing was held at France Galop's headquarters at Boulogne-Billancourt in Paris.

Fallon failed the test after Myboycharlie's success in the Group One Darley Prix Morny at Deauville on August 19.

Fallon previously served a six-month suspension imposed by France Galop for testing positive for a metabolite of cocaine in June 2006.

He was recently acquitted along with five others of conspiracy to defraud Betfair customers by a jury at the Old Bailey.

His employers Coolmore stuck by him following his six-month ban and the jockey soon bounced back on his return in June this year, winning the Group One Pretty Polly Stakes at the Curragh on Peeping Fawn at the end of that month.

However, he was unable to ride in Britain at that time because of the court case, which cost him several big-race winners including the King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes on Dylan Thomas.

Fallon is licensed in Ireland but the French suspension would apply worldwide.

"We are not going to make any comment on this issue at all," said the British Horseracing Authority's PR manager Paul Struthers

FACT FILE: KIEREN FRANCIS FALLON

Born: Crusheen, Co Clare, February 22, 1965.

Apprenticeship: With Kevin Prendergast 1982-7 (rode 38 winners in Ireland); Jimmy FitzGerald 1988.

First winner: Picadilly Lord, Navan, June 18, 1984.

First winner in Britain: Evichstar, Thirsk, April 16, 1988.

First century: 1996.

Champion jockey: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003.

200 winners in a year: 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004.

2000 Guineas winners: King's Best 2000, Golan 2001, Footstepsinthesand 2005, George Washington 2006.

Derby winners: Oath 1999, Kris Kin 2003, North Light 2004.

1000 Guineas winners: Sleepytime 1997, Wince 1999, Russian Rhythm 2003, Virginia Waters 2005.

Oaks winners: Reams Of Verse 1997, Ramruma 1999, Ouija Board 2004, Alexandrova 2006.

Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe winner: Hurricane Run 2005, Dylan Thomas 2007.

Other big winners: Ad Valorem (Queen Anne Stakes 2006), Ali-Royal (Sussex Stakes 1997), Aussie Rules (French 2000 Guineas 2006), Boreal (Coronation Cup 2002), Borgia (Grosser Preis von Baden 1997), Bosra Sham (Prince Of Wales's Stakes 1997), Catchascatchcan (Yorkshire Oaks 1998), Chilly Billy (Gimcrack Stakes 1994), Damson (Phoenix Stakes 2004), Dazzle (Cherry Hinton Stakes 1996), Dilshaan (Dante Stakes 2001), Dr Fong (St James's Palace Stakes 1998), Dylan Thomas (Irish Derby 2006, Irish Champion Stakes 2006 and 2007), Embassy (Cheveley Park Stakes 1997), Endorsement (Queen's Vase 1999), Falbrav (Prix d'Ispahan 2003), Favourable Terms (Nassau Stakes 2004), George Washington (Railway Stakes, Phoenix Stakes, National Stakes 2005), Golan (Prix Niel 2001, King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes 2002), Grangeville (Bunbury Cup, Ayr Gold Cup 1999), Guadalupe (Italian Oaks 2002), High Premium (Lincoln Handicap 1993), Horatio Nelson (Superlative Stakes, Futurity Stakes, Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere 2005), Holy Roman Emperor (Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere 2006), Hurricane Run (Irish Derby, Prix Niel 2005, Tattersalls Gold Cup 2006), Independence (Sun Chariot Stakes 2001), Island Magic (Solario Stakes 1993), Islington (Musidora Stakes, Nassau Stakes, Yorkshire Oaks 2002, Yorkshire Oaks, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf 2003), Medicean (Lockinge Stakes, Queen Anne Stakes, Eclipse Stakes 2001), Midnight Line (Musidora Stakes 1998), Mine (Bunbury Cup 2002), Mixed Blessing (Princess Margaret Stakes 2005), Mountain High (Grand Prix de Saint-Cloud 2007), Mr Dinos (Gold Cup 2003), Nevisian Lad (July Stakes 2003), Oratorio (Coral-Eclipse, Irish Champion Stakes 2005), Ouija Board (Irish Oaks 2004, Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf 2004, Hong Kong Vase 2005), Papal Bull (King Edward VII 2006), Peeress (Juddmonte Lockinge Stakes 2006), Powerscourt (Great Voltigeur Stakes 2003, Tattersalls Gold Cup 2004, Arlington Million 2005), Princely Venture (Scottish Derby 2003), Pythios (Britannia Stakes 1999), Quiff (Yorkshire Oaks 2004), Red Bloom (Fillies' Mile 2003), Riyadh (Ascot Stakes 2002), Royal Anthem (King Edward VII Stakes 1998), Rumplestiltskin (Debutante Stakes, Moyglare Stud Stakes, Prix Marcel Boussac 2005), Russian Rhythm (Princess Margaret Stakes 2002, Coronation Stakes, Nassau Stakes 2003, Lockinge Stakes 2004), Scorpion (Grand Prix de Paris 2005), Shiva (Tattersalls Gold Cup 1999), Tomba (Prix de la Foret 1998), Top Cees (Chester Cup 1995, Cesarewitch 1999), Tough Speed (White Rose Park Stakes 2001), Tuning (Ebor Handicap 1998), Yeast (Royal Hunt Cup 1996), Yeats (Coronation Cup 2005, Gold Cup 2006), Zee Zee Top (Prix de l'Opera 2003).

Main stable: 1993-6 Lynda Ramsden. 1997-9 Henry Cecil. 1999-2004 Sir Michael Stoute. 2005-present Aidan O'Brien.

Other riding information: Suffered a serious shoulder injury in a fall at Royal Ascot in 2000 that threatened his career, and was out of action for six months.