RACING: Fallon's so impressed with Navajo's resilience (From Bicester Advertiser)

RACING: Fallon's so impressed with Navajo's resilience

5:50pm Wednesday 20th June 2012 in Sport By Russell Smith, Sports reporter specialising in horse racing. Call me on 01865 425453

Navajo Chief’s battling qualities were praised by jockey Kieren Fallon after the gelding dug deep to score for Twyford trainer Alan Jarvis at York.

The five-year-old was saddled with top weight of 10st in the Ladbrokes.com Handicap run in desperate ground.

It appeared Area Fifty One and Paul Hanagan were getting the better of their protracted battle inside the final two furlongs only for Navajo Chief to pull out more to win by a neck.

Fallon (pictured) said: “He is a tough little horse. He loves to kick on when he is going well.

“I have won a few races on him now and he is probably one of the toughest little horses you will ride.

“He is a little battler. The only thing I was worried about was that he had a lot of weight to carry.”

Jarvis, who will now aim his charge at the John Smith’s Cup back at York on Saturday, July 14, said: “Kieren knows him very well and I think he was kidding Paul Hanagan a bit as he’s better with something to aim at.

“He won in Dubai a couple of years ago, but when he travelled back he was a very sick horse and we nearly lost him.

“He’s in the John Smith’s Cup, so all I need now is for my apprentice to start riding some winners.”