Fallon gets 21-day ban

Fallon has been suspended for 21 days after breaking the rules regarding riding out a horse to the finish at Lingfield last week.

Jockey Club officials will hold a separate investigation into claims of race-fixing made by a newspaper.

Fallon denies the allegations, and Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse said: "It could take some time to unravel."

The jockey's ban - the maximum for the riding offence - is due to start on 16 March and run until 8 April on days on which Flat racing is scheduled to take place.

However Fallon is unlikely to race before the ban begins as his agent has said that he will probably not appear at Wolverhampton on Saturday.

Fallon admitted a "non-wilful" breach of the riding rules.

The race-fixing allegations by the News of the World newspaper also focus on Fallon's riding at Lingfield, where his mount Ballinger Ridge was second.

Fallon issues apology

Fallon insists he made a mistake by slowing down too soon and losing to Rye, the 8-11 favourite.

But the paper claims he had earlier tipped the winner to its reporters.

Because of what were described as irregular betting patterns, stewards did not automatically impose a ban as normal, and referred the matter to the Jockey Club.

Maxse told BBC Five Live the Club would interview Fallon as part of its investigation.

But he added: "It will be a difficult inquiry to get to the bottom of - it will take several weeks."

Suspension for Fox

News of Fallon's ban came as another jockey, Sean Fox, was handed a 21-day suspension by stewards at Fontwell Park after being unseated.

Fox strongly denied deliberately jumping off at the ninth fence in the Cantor Sport Beginners' Chase.

Maxse said: "It never rains but it pours.

"It's unfortunate when we should be looking forward to what many people will regard as the highlight of the year - next week's Cheltenham Festival."

I think British racing is clean Jockey Club spokesman John Maxse

He said the Club had recently been much more reactive to threats to the sport's integrity.

It was also responding to the advent of internet betting exchanges, where punters can back horses to lose as well as win.

"It does provide us with more of an audit trail into areas which might give us cause for concern," said Maxse.

"I am of the view that the sport is actually in better shape than in the past, but that doesn't necessarily mean the image is conveyed to the public."