Fallon et al

Fallon dosen't ride. :(

How can Fallon not riding be a negative?

He sounds most bullish about O'Gradys charge.

Willie Mullins feels he has an excellent chance of winning next week's Weatherbys Champion Bumper at Cheltenham for the seventh time.

The trainer could saddle up to four runners in the Grade One contest, with Day Of A Lifetime, Bishopsfurze and Up Ou That all on target and the returning Lios A Choill also a possible traveller.

"Day of A Lifetime had been working very well at home and he won like he was working, as he had been showing lots of ability, so we were happy with that," Mullins told At The Races.

"Bishopsfurze has worked well at home and I thought he put in a very good performance at Fairyhouse. He hated the sticky ground and is really a good ground horse and a lovely mover.

"Patrick (Mullins) said he wasn't moving at all, so he just banked on getting him balanced and galloping in the straight, and once he got him going he devoured the ground. He must have made up 20 lengths.

"Up Ou That did it very well on bad ground in Fairyhouse after the big freeze. He won by 16 lengths and his pedigree suggests he's going to be a better horse on better ground. He's a big galloper who has won a point-to-point, so I would give him a chance as well as he will improve.

"Lios A Choill won his one bumper at Fairyhouse last year and had an injury, but we're going to try and get him ready for Cheltenham as well.

"By coincidence they are all Fairyhouse winners, but they are all fine horses. I'd say most of them are up to standard and may be better than one or two of the winners I've had."

Mullins has also been keeping an eye on the potential opposition for next week's contest and believes Edward O'Grady's recent Leopardstown winner Shot From The Hip could well prove the one to beat.

"I thought Shot From The Hip was very good as he went a good gallop the whole way and anything that tried to go with him, he just bumped them off," he said. "To me that was a hell of a performance, and anything that finishes in front of him will take all the beating."

Fallon's the best jockey in the world Down. Ive seen the Ollys, the Lemaires, the Johnny Vs, the Strikers and they don't compare to the great Clare man.

Would have loved to see him take on the jump boys at Cheltenham.

Once.

But a man given the title as Lester Piggotts heir round Epsom would hardly struggle with Cheltenham. His lack of Cheltenham experience
would have been of small significance.

Wasn't overly impressed with his ride on George Washington in the Moulin of 2007. Still the world's greatest though! I'd have happily backed Old McDonald purely on the basis of his jockey. Would have been great to see him ride again at Cheltenham!

Yeah well I'd look at Cerberry as the Fallon of jumps in a way. Favourite jump jockey vs favourite flat jockey.

Still prefer to have Kieren aboard for the publicity it would generate. Nothing to do with improving the horse's chances or anything like that. Just love to see Fallon in the Bumper!