Depression Forces Jockey Fallon's Retirement

Jockey Kieren Fallon, a six-time champion in Great Britain whose career was often marred by controversy, has retired from race riding due to a deep depression he's battled for nearly three years.

The Irish Turf Club's chief medical officer Dr. Adrian McGoldrick, speaking on behalf of the 51-year-old, said the issue went unnoticed when Fallon was riding in England and America.

County Clare-born Fallon has returned to his native Ireland this season and has sought medical advice to help combat "quite profound depression," a press release on the website of the British Horseracing Authority stated.

McGoldrick told Press Association Sport: "I first became aware of it when he came to see me for his license earlier this year and he was obviously very significantly depressed.

"Kieren's had quite significant depression ongoing for the best part of three years which has gone undiagnosed in England and America. It got worse and I met with him on Sunday and have arranged to have it managed.

"He went to see a specialist in America and nobody picked up on it. It's quite profound depression. As soon as I can get a bed organized for him, he'll be going to hospital here in Ireland.

"Hopefully we can get him managed and get him ready for the next stage of his life. He said he won't be returning to race riding afterwards and will move on to another phase of his career, whatever that might be.

"He felt himself he had no motivation for the last two or three years and that had affected his depression. At this stage of his life he feels he has to move on.

"We know that a lot of elite athletes have depression. I commissioned a survey in racing last year and 49% of jockeys in Ireland actually had symptoms of depression."

Fallon rode his first winner in 1984 for trainer Kevin Prendergast and went on to ride more than 2,300 winners, according to Jockey Club statistics. He was Britain's champion jockey in 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2003.

Fallon was widely regarded as a master of his trade and scored 16 classic victories in Britain, including three Epsom Derbys (Eng-I) and six in Ireland.

His most notable mounts included elite runners such as Footstepsinthesand, George Washington, Virginia Waters, Alexandrova, Dylan Thomas, Sleepytime, North Light, Kris Kin, Oath, Russian Rhythm, Ouija Board, Bosra Sham, Hurricane Run, and Fantastic Light.

During his halcyon years, Fallon was also attached to powerhouse yards of the late Sir Henry Cecil, Sir Michael Stoute, and Aidan O'Brien.

Fallon will continue to play a part at the yard of young Curragh trainer Michael O'Callaghan, with whom he has been attached since his return from America this spring. His final mount came June 26, when he rode O'Callaghan's Magical Fire to finish fifth at the Curragh.

"He had a fall on the gallops last week and he just said he's 51 now and doesn't bounce like he used to," O'Callaghan said.

Fallon's career was often blighted by controversy. In October 2007 he was embroiled in a two-month-long corruption trial at the Old Bailey. He was unable to ride in Britain until the end of the trial, but he was cleared of all charges in December of that year.

One month later, however, he was given an 18-month worldwide ban from racing after he tested positive for a banned substance—the second time he had been suspended for failing a drugs test—following a race at Deauville in August 2007.