Fallon back in the saddle in England

Following his more-than-three-year exile, Kieren Fallon returned to

race-riding in Britain Friday without a win from seven mounts at Lingfield and

Kempton. Denied a British license from July 2006 as a result of the high-profile

Old Bailey trial into alleged race-fixing and the 18-month worldwide suspension

imposed by the French authorities, Fallon admitted to a touch of ring-rustiness

early in the day.

After finishing second with his first mount Rare Malt (Intikhab) in the

opening maiden at Lingfield, the six-time champion said, "I haven't stopped

riding out for the last couple of years, so I was relatively fit, but this was a

little bit different It was great to get a nice reception and it all helps to

build your confidence back up again.

"This is the only thing I know and the only thing I want to do -- things are

going great at the moment and I just want to ride as many winners as I can and

hopefully have a crack at the championship next year. It doesn't seem as though

much has changed in the weighing room, but there are a few new faces in there

that I wouldn't have ridden against before. I'm just trying to get the job done

-- I just hope I can get a winner and if I do, I can relax into the game. If I

don't, there are going to be a little bit of nerves. I have missed stalking the

field and reading and riding a proper race."

Later at Kempton, where he was also second on the newcomer Arte Viva (Giant's

Causeway) in the two-year-old conditions race, he added, "Not riding a winner

puts a bit of a dampener on the day, but I've got some good rides tomorrow so

hopefully I can do something. It will be a bonus to have today under my belt and

there is nothing like race-riding to get you back. Nothing has changed in the

way I ride, it's just getting the feel back after a long time."