Things like how to ride tracks that he had rarely seen since he first quit British racing to ride for Aidan O’Brien and then was denied the right to return because of various barriers that kept him on the sidelines.  The Irishman has also had to learn a degree of patience, both in terms of his own abilities and the speed with which he can regain his position in a pecking order that has changed since Fallon was last champion in 2003.

The chance of regaining that title was consigned to the “to do” list some time ago but Fallon reached a century of winners when Poplin won her maiden at Goodwood.  Fallon had Luca Cumani’s filly near the pace throughout, taking it up with two furlongs to run and, despite drifting left in the final furlong, progressed from two placed runs to beat promising newcomer Always The Lady by one-and-a-half lengths. 
To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Kieren-Fallon-upon-good-times-with-century-a25864

Describing a juvenile colt as “a great horse” before the end of the season is something of a hostage to fortune but the ever-quotable Baffert felt sure that Officer was about to earn his stripes in that year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile when it was run Belmont Park. He was even prepared to compare the son of to his 1997 Kentucky Derby winner, Silver Charm.

To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Can-Boys-At-Tosconova-finish-the-job-for-Officer-a25859

However, this year’s renewal of the Ladbrokes St Leger, at Doncaster on Saturday, is likely to put even more of a premium of stamina with heavy rain forecast for the area this week.

To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Twelve-left-in-St-Leger-a25699

The run of high-profile reverses that have punctuated Hannon’s yard has been frustrating for the trainer. First there was Strong Suit, who did not perform to expectations in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh, which was followed by a similarly below-par run from Memory in the Moyglare Stud Stakes on the same track. And now Hannon has to come to terms with the latest setback after Richard Hughes found himself up a blind alley when Paco Boy finished fourth to Fuisse in the Group Prix du Moulin at Longchamp.

To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Richard-Hannon-considers-Breeders-Cup-Mile-for-Paco-Boy-a25684

The trainer will now prepare his colt for a crack at the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Churchill Downs on November 6th. Just how much his four-and-three-quarter-length beating of Mythical Power really proved is open to debate, none of the field had a right to be competitive at level weights on recent form, but it was enough to convince Pletcher to take Quality Road to Churchill without another run, which has worked well with the horse previously.

To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Quality-Road-confirmed-for-Breeders-Cup-Classic-a25663

In the end he beat Rio de la Plata and Siyouni by a head and the same, with Paco Boy in fourth, but only after holding up the start for some time when he dropped jockey Stephane Pasquier twice and got lose.

To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Rio-de-la-Plata-just-misses-out-in-Prix-du-Moulin-a25565

Four weeks previously Quality Road had just lost out to Blame in a tight finish to the Grade One Whitney Handicap, giving the winner 5lbs, and he was the heavy market leader this time against a field in which Convocation, trained by Jimmy Jerkens who had previously had Quality Road in his barn, was regarded as the best shot at an upset.

To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Quality-Road-wins-the-Woodward-Stakes-a25538

It was a race for the unexpected and also a reminder not to forget a horse who has won a Classic. O’Brien fielded half of the six runners who went to post and the expectation was that Beethoven, ridden by the trainer’s son Joseph, was in there to make the running for the favourite Rip Van Winkle, who was the chosen mount of stable jockey Johnny Murtagh. 

To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Cape-Blanco-takes-landmark-win-in-Irish-Champion-Stakes-a25513

Starspangledbanner, who was flying for Aidan O’Brien during the summer, was beaten for the second time in successive races as he came fifth. The Choisir colt had looked to be one of the stars of the season when he won both the Golden Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot and the July Cup at Newmarket but he was brought from the stratosphere when he finished second to rank outsider Sole Power in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York last month.

To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Markab-hits-top-speed-in-the-Sprint-Cup-a25512

Having tried a variety of options with the filly, when she seemed not to be fulfilling her early promise, Sir Mark Prescott decided that to take line of least resistance by just using her speed. The new ploy worked perfectly when she won the Group Two Lowther Stakes at York’s Ebor meeting last month and the same method allowed her to defy a penalty to win the Group Three totepool Sirenia Stakes at Kempton Park.

To read the full blog: http://blogs.bettor.com/Hooray-for-Sir-Mark-Prescott-in-Sirenia-Stakes-a25509