Kieron Fallon today backed Brighton's decision to abandon racing in their final meeting of the season even though it hit his bid to be champion jockey.

The Sussex course was hit with high winds yesterday and the stewards called a halt after the first race.

Fallon insisted officials got it right even though it hit his hopes of closing the gap on championship leader Frankie Dettori.

The six-times champion remained on 19 wins behind the popular Italian after being unplaced on Rock Fever behind the day's lone winner, Maxamillion, and denied three further rides with Dettori, on 188, absent because of flu.

Brighton manager Phil Bell said: "Kieron was fed up because time is running out quickly for him to overtake Frankie, the season finishes on November 6, and he lost a few chances to do it. But he agreed with the decision because he felt the winds made racing too dangerous. He agreed safety had to come first.

"The winds were strong and, although it might not have seemed like that in other parts of the city, we're at the highest point of Brighton.

"It was a disappointing and frustrating end to the season from our point of view particularly because we would have seen Godolphin horses run on the course for the first time. But there's nothing that could be done about it."