Fallon to decide between Recital & Native Khan for Derby

Kieren Fallon will be a jockey in demand for the Derby and it appears that he will ride one of two horses at Epsom this year.

Fallon has vast experience at Epsom having claimed the first of his three Derby victories in 1999 and this course knowledge is highly valued in the Classic, where it is imperative that a horse is well positioned turning into the straight.

Aidan O’Brien currently has eight runners entered in the Derby, but it seems almost guaranteed that only a maximum of five of these will run.

With Ryan Moore certain to partner 5/4 favourite Carlton House, O’Brien will have an even tougher job of finding jockeys for each of his mounts.

Fallon was on board Recital when he triumphed in the Derrinstown Stud Derby Trial at Leopardstown earlier this month and the manner of this victory has seen the horse priced towards the head of the Derby market at 8/1.

On paper, he appears perhaps O’Brien’s best Derby hope, although the trainer wants to fully clarify which horses he plans to run at Epsom before getting down to the finer details of naming jockeys.

O’Brien said: “Obviously the plan at Leopardstown with Kieren sitting on him was he might be available for us in the Derby.

“I think probably early next week we’ll get down to jockey arrangements.”

The trainer also has strong relationships with his son Joey, Pat Smullen, Colm O’Donoghue and Seamie Heffernan if he needs to find jockeys for his other runners.

However, it is not a definite that Fallon will ride Recital or even board one of O’Brien’s horses, after he spent some time on the Epsom gallops doing some preparation work with Native Khan.

Native Khan is 12/1 in the Derby betting and heads to Epsom with strong credentials having finished third in the 2000 Guineas at Newmarket last month.

A £30 stake on Recital winning the Derby would return £240. New customers can sign up here for a free £30 bet.