Fallon´s High Court Challenge Unsuccessful

Kieren Fallon has failed in a High Court challenge to the Horseracing Regulatory Authority ban which prevents him riding in Britain.

Fallon, 41, was suspended from riding in Britain by the HRA earlier this month until the conclusion of his trial on criminal charges of conspiracy to defraud.

The six-time champion condemned that decision, and that of the HRA´s appeal board to uphold it, as unfair and unreasonable.

However, a High Court verdict has now upheld the HRA decision to prevent Fallon from riding in Britain.

Fallon, who is still licensed to ride in Ireland, misses out on partnering King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes favourite Hurricane Run at Ascot on Saturday as a consequence.

A judge in London refused to grant Fallon an injunction lifting the ban and sending the case back to the HRA for re-hearing.

Fallon did not seek leave to appeal against Mr Justice Davis´s decision.

Lawyers for the Irish rider argued that the HRA panel and an appeal board which upheld its ruling had acted unfairly and disproportionately in depriving him of the ability to earn a living in Britain when no charges had yet been proved against him.

Moreover, they claimed he was also entitled to the presumption of innocence.

Fallon was charged earlier this month along with 10 others, including fellow jockeys Darren Williams and Fergal Lynch, in relation to the City Of London police investigation into alleged race-fixing.

All deny any wrongdoing.

The judge said Fallon would not face trial until the end of next year - although a submission of 'no case to answer' was likely at the end of this year.

Fallon complained that the special panel of the HRA wrongly refused to look at evidence on which the Crown Prosecution Service relied, or to hear submissions that the evidence showed the weakness of the case against him.

The jockey insisted that, if the panel members had viewed the video tape evidence of the races involved in the prosecution, they would have been satisfied that he had done his best to win those races.

It was also argued that they should have read transcripts of police interviews.