Light beats Galileo in Champion

Galileo suffered the first defeat of his career when narrowly beaten by Fantastic Light in the Ireland the Food Island Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown today.

Fantastic Light, last year`s Emirates World Series champion started 9-4 second favourite behind the hitherto unbeaten Vodafone Derby and Irish Derby winner, who had beaten him by two lengths in the mile-and-a-half King George VI And Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes.

But a change of tactics saw the five-year-old prove the punters wrong over this two-furlong shorter trip to give Godolphin their fourth win in seven years in Ireland`s biggest all-aged Flat race, after Cezanne, Swain and Daylami.

Rather than wait behind Galileo, as he had at Ascot and most expected he would today, he set off in front of the 4-11 favourite behind the pace set by the market leader`s stable-companion Ice Dancer and Godophin`s Give the Slip - ridden by Richard Hills in place of the unwell Daragh O`Donohoe.

As Dettori sent his mount to the front off the home turn Mick Kinane had to produce the market leader to challenge on the outside and the pair set down to fight it out all the way up the straight.

The battle of the two titans drew a tremendous roar from the biggest Flat crowd seen at the course for many a year but Galileo was never able to get in front this time and was a head adrift at the line, the pair six lengths clear of third-placed Bach.

Explaining the late change of tactics, Godolphin supremo Sheikh Mohammed said: 'Sheikh Maktoum and I decided last night not to wait behind Galileo but to run our own race and not worry about the others.

'So we said to Frankie to get in front of Galileo and let him take you on. When he came to us in the straight it was very exciting but Fantastic Light had his best distance today.

'It was a great race and great for racing to have a clash between two great horses. I will need to speak to Sheikh Maktoum but I think the plan will be to run in the Breeders` Cup Classic. If they run Galileo we will have great pleasure in running against him again.'

'They are two great champions and it was a shame one of them had to lose,' Dettori said. 'No horse can touch Dubai Millennium but Fantastic Light is definitely up there with the other best horses I have ridden like Swain, Daylami and Lammtarra.'

Aidan O`Brien admitted the Galileo team had been caught out by Godolphin`s change of tactics.

'Probably we didn`t shine tactically,' the trainer said. 'It was a bit stop-start and they planned the race well tactically.

'But it was great to see two outstanding horses racing against each other.'

O`Brien also hinted that Galileo may miss the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot in favour of a preparatory workout on the all-weather at Southwell before a Clasic rematch.

'We will have to make up our minds but if he goes to the Breeders` Cup he will go to Southwell first and probably miss Ascot.'

Fantastic Light and Galileo are 3-1 joint-favourites for the Classic with Coral, and they also share the lead in the 2001 Emirates World Series after five legs with 18 points apiece.

Dettori was severely cautioned for using his whip excessively on Fantastic Light.

He said that, when delivering his challenge on Fantastic Light, the horse began hanging off the rail towards Galileo.

As the horses got close, he slapped his mount behind and in front of the saddle in the backhand position.

He added that he did everything possible to correct his mount and keep him racing without spoiling the race.

The official attendance was 17,000 - unprecedented for a Flat meeting at Leopardstown - and 4,000 up on the corresponding fixture last year.