Fallon Looks To France For Yeats

Kieren Fallon appears keen on a Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe bid for Yeats after conceding he probably has too much weight to land the Melbourne Cup.

The mercurial rider was speaking after driving Yeats to a first triumph in the Irish Field St Leger at the Curragh, where his partner got the better of stablemate Scorpion by half a length after a titanic tussle.

'He won a Coronation over a mile and a half at Epsom so it wouldn't be impossible to see him going there,' said Fallon, who was recording his first win in the race, as was winning trainer Aidan O'Brien.

'It will depend big time on the ground. Dylan (Thomas) likes to hear his hooves rattle and Yeats would prefer better ground. There's also Peeping Fawn, the list is long.

'It would be very difficult for Yeats in Melbourne, even though he went last year. They've killed him with weight, he's got too much ? for me anyway.

'Septimus (winner of the Doncaster Cup on Friday) would be a better chance, he's in there with 9st,' Fallon told At The Races.

Having chosen to saddle his runners in the English Leger at Doncaster rather than remain on home soil, O'Brien will have been sorry not to have witnessed a memorable battle between two of his stable stars.

Scorpion won the English Leger himself two years ago and his rider Seamie Heffernan elected to take up the running before the field compacted again with a mile to run.

But suddenly he pulled a further advantage out of the bag and Fallon, who had 4-7 favourite Yeats tucked in the perfect position hovering in fourth, suddenly looked under pressure.

Inside the final furlong these two perfect examples of the equine form were together but while Scorpion began to lug towards the rail, Yeats seemed to know the race was his and he pulled away.

O'Brien has now collected every British and Irish Classic, while Fallon is not far behind.

Fallon admitted: 'I thought I had no chance but he got me back in it.

'Seamie rode a great race and rode his own race, but they didn't go very quick and when Seamie kicked four lengths clear at the top of the straight my heart was in my mouth.

'It's third time lucky for me in this Leger and it's great to finally win it.

'He's just very tough and very good. Perhaps he just wanted it more than the other fellow.'

Representing the ranks of the pair's owners in the Coolmore partnership was John Magnier, who said: 'He (Yeats) could go for the Arc, otherwise there is the stayers' race, the Prix du Cadran, on Arc weekend.

'I wouldn't say the Arc was favoured, as we also have Soldier Of Fortune and Dylan Thomas for that. It all depends how they shape up.

'In Septimus, Scorpion and Yeats we have three great stayers ? you don't always have such a chance. Anything is possible for the three of them and they are all possibles for Melbourne.'

Mores Wells was not disgraced in third but never really got a look in to finish four and a half lengths adrift, while British outsiders Macorville and Mighty acquitted themselves magnificently to finish fourth and fifth respectively.

(C) PA Sport