Gallagher leaves Doumen stable

Gallagher was victorious in the 2002 Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham

Jockey Dean Gallagher has split with Francois Doumen to join up-and-coming French trainer Francois Cottin.

Gallagher only linked up with Doumen in September after serving an 18-month ban for testing postive for cocaine.

"Dean Gallagher has disillusioned me strongly. I've given him his chance and he has made another choice. He has gone," said an angry Doumen.

Cottin, who only began training in April, is in fifth place in the French trainers' table.

Gallagher, who won the 2002 Champion Hurdle on Hors La Loi III, who was bred by Cottin, will start his new job on 1 January.

"It's a very high-profile job, one of the best," Gallagher told the Racing Post.

"Mr Cottin has some very good horses and very prominent owners, and the position offered was hard to turn down from both a financial and personal point of view.

"Mr Doumen has some nice horses but the best ones, like Baracouda and First Gold, I couldn't ride.

"I'm 35 years old now and have only three or four seasons left. All my life I've been playing second fiddle to other jockeys and when a big job like this comes up I have to take it," he said.