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Kieren Fallon has apparently retired from riding.
Somewhat surprising timing given the fact that he had only recently taken up his new role with O’ Callaghan.
Personally, I have doubted that his heart was totally on the job over the last few years.
A character who was like Marmite, as you seemed to either love him or loathe him.Suffering from Severe depression. Hope he can battle his way out of it and enjoy a happy retirement.
I’m really sorry to hear this. I am a fan, but I think the term flawed genius could probably
be used sum him up. 16 British Classic winners, 6 Irish Classics, 2 Arc’s and a string
of top races over the years, that’s an amazing CV.I hope he manages to to overcome his depression and I wish him well for the future out of
the saddle.With the greatest respect for the fact that he is unwell and how serious depression can be I’m surprised that he has made this decision whilst in a state of depression and it would be no surprise if when he recovers which I sincerely hope he will he can make a comeback …..even in his early 50s ……and finish on his own terms.
Really sorry to hear that this is depression related as that hadn’t been announced when I put up the opening post.
In hindsight it may explain a few things.
Although not amongst my favourite jockeys, I wish him well in handling his condition. I imagine, from what I have read, that he may face some dark times ahead.
The constant travelling, dieting etc., must be incredibly taxing when the winners and mounts are dwindling. Hopefully the retirement will work in his favour and he doesn’t miss the buzz too much.Fallon at his best was one of the very best.
Fallon at his worst was one of the very worst.Think a lot of punters had a love/hate relationship with him.
For a jockey of his quality there must have been reasons why he fell out of favour, couldn’t keep a job and couldn’t get to a track on time. So sad, not surprised to hear of depression.Many jockeys seem to have this problem.
Hope he recovers and has a full retirement.
Value Is EverythingSad news.
A man with demons undoubtedly, demons that have, you would suspect, clouded his entire career. World at his feet, several times over, and a world class jockey at his best.
I hope he manages to find the help he clearly needs and manages to find peace with himself and happiness in his life.Many jockeys seem to have this problem
Yes, because of weight pressure issues, I’d imagine they don’t eat much at all which can starve the brain of important nutrients needed, my brother went on a fad diet and his mental health decreased rapidly which led to a depressive state. Their are many other factors and contributions that can lead to depression and I’m certainly no professor and only going off what was said about my brother but the poor diet some of these lads take in cant help. imo
Blackbeard to conquer the World
Not the kindest front page from the RP today.
All journalists have the same information to draw from but Richard Forristal’s piece is the clearest interpretation of Fallon’s legacy / charachter I’ve read in the last day or so
There might be something in the diet factor, Nathan. There’s a fair bit of advice online about avoiding low calorie diets if you have mental health problems. There’s also, thankfully, some research taking place trying to identify physiological factors in depression/mental health, especially around inflammation in the brain.
I understand that many sufferers are finding varied levels of relief through taking turmeric in high doses (curcumin, the ‘active ingredient’ in turmeric has been called a natural anti-inflammatory). My wife, a long-time sufferer, has found relief since beginning a course of high dosage Turmeric (10,000mg tablet per day), although other factors, including medication and ECT treatment might well be contributing to her improvement.
Whatever lies at the source of mental illness,I’ve found that it’s not uncommon for sufferers to seek relief (often subconsciously) in dangerous activities which can deliver ‘reward’ chemical hits to the brain. I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the sporting world, especially at the riskier end, has more than the average share of people with mental health issues, many of which will be veiled for a while by ambition/achievement.
Doubtless many are tired of hearing how bad life is for the chronically depressed. It is desperately difficult to explain the impact. My wife, Margy, once gave me a good description of her anxiety when going through a bad period. I was probing, both to try to help her and to understand and she sat staring out of the window, seeking the words. She said, ‘As soon as I wake in the morning, a voice in my head says “the worst thing that could ever happen to you is going to happen and its going to happen very, very soon”. It keeps repeating that all day until I manage to sleep again.’
There was something McCoy-like in Fallon at his best. His style was to motivate a horse, slowly building them up towards maximum effort. Inferior riders try to go from cruising to flat-out in a few strides. There must be plenty of goodness in his heart if he can empathise with an animal so well.
As GT said, there was always the evil side to Fallon as well. Whether it is depression, addiction or something else truly hurting the man, I hope he can find happiness. The inevitable Christmas 2017 autobiography will be a must-buy!
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