Fallon - set for Cheltenham appearance? (Getty Images)

By

Coral have cut Refinement into 8-1 from 12-1 for the Champion Bumper following speculation that Kieren Fallon is in line to ride the mare at the Festival.

Fallon has applied for a license which will enable him to ride in the race and it is understood the six-time champion Flat jockey is expected to get the leg up on the Jonjo O'Neill-trained Refinement, who runs in the colours of Michael Tabor.

Fallon was recently snapped up by the Coolmore team to ride all the horses owned by Tabor, John Magnier and Derrick Smith after their retained rider Jamie Spencer sensationally quit the lucrative job.

"Some shrewd punters were backing this mare first thing this morning, and it came as no surprise when we heard the former flat champion's name put in the frame for the ride," said Coral's David Stevens.

Balthazar Fabricius, his counterpart at Ladbrokes, added: "Refinement was well supported at 10-1 and now we know why. It's normally in the Derby that Fallon scares the living daylights out of us, not the Bumper!"

Spencer - who left Coolmore last month - is also planning to ride in next Wednesday's closing event aboard the Martin Pipe-trained Buena Vista.

He landed the race in 2002 on Edward O'Grady's Pizarro, who just edged out the Magnier-owned Rhinestone Cowboy in a pulsating finish.