Fallon aiming for Yorkshire double as rookie O’Brien takes centre stage on opening day

“There is a great atmosphere and Yorkshire is a beautiful place,” declared the Classic-winning jockey ahead of four days of scintillating action in prospect that has seen Fallon well-backed to become the meeting’s most successful rider.

His bookings centre around two of Yorkshire’s best prospects – Mick Easterby’s Hoof It in Friday’s Coolmore Nunthorpe Stakes and Brian Ellison’s Saptapadi in Saturday’s Betfred Ebor, the signature race of the entire week.

Yet, in an exclusive interview with the Yorkshire Post, Fallon names Zumbi, his mount in today’s opener, as the horse likely to offer punters the best value.

He also expects Paul Hanagan, the reigning champion jockey, to see off the challenge of Silvestre de Sousa in this year’s title race, even though the latter has the support of Mark Johnston and rides the Middleham trainer’s St Leger prospect Namibian in today’s Sportingbet.com Great Voltigeur Stakes.

They will all be interested bystanders when rookie jockey Joseph O’Brien seeks to record his first British Group One winner when he gets the leg-up on his father’s Await The Dawn in the Juddmonte International Stakes – today’s £700,000 feature and the latest leg of the Qipco British Champions Series.

The son of Aidan O’Brien, the teenager has already enjoyed success in an Irish Classic when taking the 2000 Guineas with Roderic O’Connor – the stable’s second string today – and helped Maybe to land the Group Two Debutante Stakes in impressive style earlier this month.

Prince Khalid Abdullah yearns to win the race he sponsors and has encouraged Sir Henry Cecil to field both Midday and Twice Over.

But Breeders’ Cup prospect Await The Dawn, who was lightly-raced at two and three, looked a star in the making as a four-year-old in the Huxley Stakes at Chester and the Hardwicke Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“I haven’t ridden him in a race but I know him well at home,” said O’Brien junior.

“He’s a lovely, big horse and you’d say he was very uncomplicated. His form looks good from Ascot, so, hopefully, he will run well.”

The jockey booking is a major vote in confidence – O’Brien has been criticised for favouring his son ahead of more experienced riders. However, O’Brien does not have a stable jockey after he parted company with Johnny Murtagh and his riding plans were further compromised by Ryan Moore’s broken arm.

O’Brien junior, however, does ride horses like Seville on the gallops – and much of the criticism that he has attracted appears to have been driven by jealousy.

Abdullah, a patrician owner and breeder, has been linked with the International for many years and almost won it with Twice Over last year before he was pipped to the post by O’Brien’s Rip Van Winkle.

Cecil’s stable jockey Tom Queally, however, has opted to ride the outstanding mare Midday after she claimed the Nassau Stakes for the third year in a row.

“The race is fraught with great possibilities and great interest for us all,” said the owner’s racing manager Teddy Grimthorpe. “I think Tom would have preferred not to have made the decision about which horse to ride. I wish we had 20 more like Twice Over as he has been such a reliable, genuine, charming horse.”

Cecil is equally enchanted by Twice Over who continues to defy his veteran status – he is six years old.

“He has been with us for quite a few years and has become part of the furniture,” said Cecil, who has a stud at Helmsley.

Of the oppostion, the trainer added: “Await The Dawn is a good horse and has only had six or seven runs. He’s a pretty formidable opponent, but I’m going to try.”