King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Diamond Stakes Preview

27 July 2001

The showdown between three-year-old Galileo, trained by Aidan O'Brien for Coolmore Stud chiefs John Magnier and Michael Tabor, and five-year-old Fantastic Light, trained by Saeed Bin Suroor for Sheikh Mohammed's Newmarket-based Godolphin empire, is a classic match-up of this year's Classic crop and the cream of the older generations.

The gladiators who enter that Ascot arena this weekend represent the two biggest hitting organisations on the thoroughbred stage. Fortunes are riding on the outcome of the duel which provides rich compensation to the racing cogniscenti for the injury to Dubai Millenium which robbed us of the eagerly-awaited clash last season between that ill-fated superstar, who was Sheikh Mohammed's pride and joy, and the brilliant but mercurial Montjeu, who carried Tabor's racing silks so ably on the European stage.

Without question, Fantastic Light is the best older horse in Europe right now, a horse by Rahy who has improved with age to look better from race to race. Victory in the Hong Kong Cup at Sha Tin in December clinched him the Emirates World Series mantle connections so dearly wanted to plunder with Dubai Millenium, while despite a narrow defeat on Dubai World Cup day at Nad Al Sheba, Fantastic Light bounced back to produce a startling finishing burst as he mowed down old adversary Kalanisi in the Prince Of Wales's Stakes at Royal Ascot.

Galileo is at time of writing as short as 8/13 to preserve the unbeaten record which includes in its portfolio a spreadeagling of the opposition in both the Vodafone Derby at Epsom and the Budweiser Irish Derby at The Curragh. Carrying the
silks of Sue Magnier and representing her husband John's all-conquering Coolmore Stud empire, Galileo has provided the lion's share of an unprecedented big race haul by his owners this year which has also included the Irish 2,000 and 1,000 Guineas with Black Minnaloushe and Imagine, the Vodafone Oaks with Imagine, the St James's Palace Stakes with Black Minnaloushe and the July Cup with Mozart.

Consequently Coolmore holds the whip hand in the battle for dominance of world racing with Godolphin, and Sheikh Mohammed badly needs a victory from Fantastic Light and Frankie Dettori on Saturday to help redress the balance.

But is this mouth-watering contest a completely two-sided affair. That's the way I see it, though connections of Prix du Jockey-Club winner Anabaa Blue would not doubt by choking into their lunchtime glasses of Ricard if they heard me!

However, it seems doubtful that the rain Anabaa Blue's trainer Carlos Lerner is hoping for to turn the ground softer is likely to materialize. Lerner, after weighing-up what work-watchers felt was an outstanding wind-up gallop from Anabaa Blue at Maisons-Laffitte, said:"While I would prefer the course to be softer, if it is dry it will not necessarily be a problem for the horse. I've seen Galileo and Fantastic Light but my horse is also very good. We'll see who is best on Saturday."

Michael Jarvis's Italian Derby hero Morshdi doesn't hold out much chance of cutting into the four lengths by which Galileo swept him aside in Ireland, while Storming Home, fifth in the Epsom Derby and winner of the King Edward VII Stakes at Royal Ascot for Barry Hills, looks more of a stayer and is my idea of the Doncaster St Leger winner at this stage of proceedings.

John Dunlop's Golden Snake finished in close proximity to Fantastic Light in the Tattersalls Gold Cup at The Curragh at the start of the campaign but was probably flattered by that. That said, at 20-1 he probably represents the best each-way value against my selection, Fantastic Light.