Kieren Fallon leads Silvestre de Sousa in Godolphin’s jockey tussle

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor had suggested this season that De Sousa and Fallon would share rides, but it would appear a hierarchy has been established.

Kieren Fallon, left, was the first winner for Godolphin at Royal Ascot since 2012. Charlie Crowhurst / Getty Images
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LONDON // As the dust settles on five days of glamour at Royal Ascot, the situation at Godolphin Stables has become a lot clearer.
Saeed bin Suroor had suggested this season that Silvestre de Sousa and Kieren Fallon would share rides, but it would appear a hierarchy has been established.
De Sousa did not ride for Bin Suroor during the Royal meeting.
He partnered Charlie Appleby's Steeler to third place in the Royal Hunt Cup, won by regular Dubai visitor Field Of Dream and rode twice for Mark Johnston, his previous boss, on Thursday. One of those horses was owned by Alan Spence and one was owned by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed.
Fallon had two rides for Bin Suroor, including the operation's only winner of the week when Elite Army won the King George V Stakes. De Sousa rode Elite Army for the first two of his starts before Fallon took over in May.
On Friday De Sousa's mounts came from non-Godolphin trainers, while Fallon had a fall from US raider Rosalind in the Coronation Stakes won on Friday by Sheikh Rashid bin Dalmook's Rizeena.
Fallon needed heavy physio but was able to partner Statutory to ninth in Saturday's Queen Alexandra Stakes while De Sousa rode at Newmarket without success.
Fallon and Bin Suroor are forging a stronger bind. The unlikely couple are on the same wavelength and the skills of the former champion jockey are beguiling other members of the operation.
John Ferguson is the bloodstock manager for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President of the UAE and ruler of Dubai. With Simon Crisford's departure he is playing a greater role within Godolphin and was impressed by Fallon's ride on Elite Army.
"Kieren got the gap and came away to win well," he said. "Kieren works very closely with Saeed – they have a great relationship and trust each other."
Fallon's victory aboard Elite Army, who could develop in to an English St Leger candidate, was his 30th win at the Royal meeting and he highlighted how grateful he is to be experiencing this late bloom in the twilight of his career.
"Without them, I wouldn't be standing in the winners' enclosure," he said. "It feels better than ever to have a Royal Ascot winner."
Godolphin appear to be emerging from the slump caused by last year's doping scandal.
Elite Army was the operation's first Royal Ascot winner since Tha'ir won the 2012 Chesham Stakes. It is a far cry from a decade ago, when they secured six group-level winners.
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