Fallon factoring in Soumillon weight sacrifice for Minnie Hauk

Christophe Soumillon and William Buick are set for a huge weekend in the saddle at the Breeders’ Cup and Kieren Fallon is backing both to make the most of their respective hands in Del Mar.

Both jockeys will be central to any success the powerhouse operations of Coolmore and Godolphin will enjoy at the two-day end-of-season championships, with each possessing a stellar book of rides befitting of their standing.

Soumillon is riding the crest of a wave in his role as Aidan O’Brien’s super-sub for the injured Ryan Moore, but a series of wide post positions handed to some of the chief Ballydoyle hopes has threatened to turn California dreams into a tactical nightmare for the decorated Belgian.

However, Fallon, who has previously held the top job at Coolmore and is now a key member of Charlie Appleby’s back-room team, believes it offers the perfect opportunity for Soumillon to show why he is one of the world’s very best.

Fallon told the PA news agency: “When I used to ride and people would say it’s a bad draw, I would think, ‘well, make it a good one’. That’s what the good jockeys do.

“I remember when I rode Rumplestiltskin in the Prix Marcel Boussac and I was drawn right on the outside and everyone said I had a terrible draw. I was able to get the box seat and she won and everyone said ‘great ride’, but it’s basically just using your head.

“All these top jockeys read the form – Christophe, Ryan Moore, Frankie Dettori, they all do it and work out where the pace is and then know whether to go forward or to go back.

“On sharp tracks like Del Mar you have only got two choices, forward or back, you can’t sit in the middle and wait for it to happen because then you’re going to get trapped and may as well not be in the race.”

In Fallon’s opinion, more of a concern to Soumillon than the draw of the Ballydoyle battalion could be boiling down to 8st 7lb to ride Minnie Hauk when the Oaks, Irish Oaks and Yorkshire Oaks heroine takes on the likes of Rebel’s Romance in a blistering renewal of the Breeders’ Cup Turf.

“Soumillon’s going to be missing his dinner, isn’t he?” continued the eagle-eyed multiple Classic winner, after pointing out the Belgian rider’s lowest weight in the last 12 months is 8st 9lb.

“He’s got 8st 7lb and I’m not sure you will be able to find the last time he did that. It will be tough for him to get down to that weight.

“I can’t speak for Christophe, but thinking back to when I was doing light, I would want be winning and if the horse didn’t, it would kill me – I would only do my minimum if I thought I was going to win.

“It’s not so much you are drained, but you have so much adrenaline kicking in and after the race it can take a while to get over. You don’t get many sports where you have to starve yourself and then have a couple of ambulances following you round while you make split-second decisions aboard an animal.”

In contrast to the precarious post positions handed to some of O’Brien’s trump cards, luck in the draw department has been bestowed on Appleby’s aces, with Notable Speech, Rebel’s Romance and the juvenile Military Code all pulling out a low number.

But a good draw is only half the story, with Fallon pointing out there are still many pitfalls in play around the tight turns of the San Diego suburbs.

“Charlie’s horses have got the dream draws as long as William can make use of them,” continued Fallon.

“It’s still going to be tough for William because those horses on the outside will be coming across quick and if William can’t get out and be up there and hold his position, he’s going to get rattled to the back of the field and his race could be over.

“The only way you can really come from behind over there is if they go flat out all the way, but they won’t because these are some of the top jockeys in the world and they are smart.

“They are not going to burn them out on the turf – on the dirt they do – but on turf these guys are smarter and the good turf riders in America know their times. They won’t just be going hell for leather, which then makes it difficult for the horses behind.”

Despite that note of warning, the former six-time champion jockey is confident Appleby is poised for another fruitful Breeders’ Cup trip, a meeting at which he holds an incredible record and this year has a select team of horses to match.

“Whatever camp you are in you are obviously going to be rooting for and Charlie has got some live ones, really live horses this year,” said Fallon, who is happy to play lead cheerleader to the Moulton Paddocks quintet back home in Newmarket.

“He’s got the likes of Notable Speech and Rebel’s Romance who are high class and I think the two-year-old will win because he has a top draw in two. Providing he jumps well and gets the box seat he wins for sure.

“Colm O’Donoghue rides Notable Speech out every day and I was coming back with him the other day and he was bouncing. I think Charlie will have a great meeting.”