Several twists and turns and suspensions in the last few weeks had left both Hughes and Sanders with chances of taking the crown, but the determination Fallon showed to make a comeback after sustaining career-threatening injuries two and a half years ago, helped him see off the persistent challengers.

He was was loath to admit that ‘The Fat Lady’ had indeed sung.

But he did admit that he had been encouraged when his agent Dave Pollington told him yesterday: "I think we have it sewn up’.

Latching on to that relative show of optimism, Fallon said tongue-in-cheek: “Richard (Hughes) will have to ride eight winners on both Friday and Saturday to catch me, and that won’t be easy will it?”

Even when Hughes closed the gap to two (taking into account two wins that will soon be docked as a result of Elusive City losing races because prohibited substances were found in tests after wins at Lingfield and Goodwood) Fallon did not panic.

“Whatever I do, playing golf or race-riding or anything, I always like to think I can keep a bit in reserve and then step up another gear if necessary – I always thought I could keep my lead really,” he said.

“Earlier in the season I missed a lot of Sunday racing over here because I was riding abroad and that cost me a lot of winners – I soon realised that it could be very costly if I carried on that way.”

Fallon suffered horrific injuries in a Royal Ascot fall in 2000 and it gave him considerable satisfaction to come back and regain the championship last year after a sustained battle with the previous title-holder Kevin Darley.

But he feels this year’s achievement matches that, and explained: “It has been tough. I have missed a lot of winners through not riding for the Aga Khan at all this year, and not for the Maktoum family for part of the season.

“So to have ridden as many winners as I have and to have kept the title means a lot, and of course it is a big tribute to the work Dave (Pollington) has done as usual.”

The criticism by sections of the media of the European jockeys’ performances at the Breeders’ Cup touched a nerve, and even their colleagues back home were not averse to rubbing a bit of friendly salt into the wounds.

Fallon’s trip to Wolverhampton last Saturday evening paid off when he won on the Sir Michael Stoute-trained Eternelle, and he recalled with a smile: “When I got back into the weighing-room I joked to the lads ‘Did I look as good as Jerry Bailey then?’.

“But Dean McKeown shouted back ‘I don’t know about that, maybe Tracey Bailey!”’

He has no doubt that the European riders are a match for any in the world, and he reasoned: “We rode in a challenge against American jockeys at Santa Anita a few years ago. It was a level playing field, in that in the series we each rode a favourite, a second favourite and so on – and I came out on top and Olivier Peslier was second.”

With a suspension extending his absence from the British scene following the Breeders’ Cup meeting, Fallon headed for his native Ireland to recharge the batteries for the final championship surge.

A long season of keeping weight in check and fighting off the inevitable bumps and bruises can eventually take its toll on jockeys, and for Fallon, Limerick-based ‘physio’ Gerard Hartmann has been a saviour.

The champion stretched his arms aloft and flexed his muscles, and enthused: “He is unbelievable, he has treated some of the big names in sport including Paula Radcliffe, but you’d better believe it, it is not just a question of gentle massaging, he really gets deep into the muscles and he brought tears to my eyes a few times I can tell you.

“But you come out of it feeling 110 per cent and it is a pity the season is ending this week – I will be very happy if I feel as well at the start of next season as I do now.”

Fallon will be heading for Japan shortly to ride in two jockeys’ challenge competitions, and while currently happy to have that fifth title in the bag he concluded: “But for the injury two years ago, I was set for a very good season, this would be six championships on the bounce – and I don’t think anyone has done that since the war.

“When you win a title you never want to let it go and it would be good to beat Pat’s (Eddery) 11 championships.”