Fallon to Continue Montassib Partnership

Cieren Fallon will retain his successful partnership with Montassib in the Qipco British Champion Sprint Stakes at Ascot this Saturday. Although Fallon serves as the second jockey to Tom Marquand at William Haggas’ Somerville Lodge stable, Haggas sees no reason to disrupt a winning formula, having witnessed Fallon guide the six-year-old to three victories from four starts this season.

Montassib's latest performance was a standout, securing his first Group One victory in the Sprint Cup at Haydock. Thankfully for Marquand, Haggas has another formidable contender in Unequal Love, the Wokingham winner who finished third at Haydock.

“While Tom is our primary rider, it wouldn’t be fair to replace Cieren, who has ridden him to victories at Doncaster, Newcastle, and Haydock. Tom understands this,” Haggas commented.

Reflecting on Haydock, Haggas noted that he initially thought Montassib's position at the back of the pack would hinder his chances, but was thrilled to see him surge ahead to defeat Kind Of Blue, whom he considers a significant threat this weekend.

“I believed beating Kind Of Blue would be challenging since he maintained his position at Haydock while others had to come from behind. I expect Kind Of Blue to be a tough competitor,” Haggas remarked.

“Races like this can yield entirely different outcomes each week. Unequal Love performed admirably at Haydock, but I have concerns about her in very soft ground. Nonetheless, she will remain in training and compete regardless. I anticipate it will be an enjoyable race.

“I always thought Montassib preferred softer ground, and he's certain to have it this time. He has exceeded my expectations; initially, I believed he would benefit from longer distances, leading me to run him further for about two years, to everyone's surprise. Now that I've found his optimal distance, he has elevated his performance. You could argue he's still relatively inexperienced at six furlongs, which has been a pleasant surprise.”