ASCOT, England -- You'll never believe what happened at Ascot Racecourse on a warm, sunny mid-summer Saturday afternoon here. The race, the King George VI & Queen Elizabeth Diamond stakes, hyped as the "Race of the Year" in Europe and maybe the world, actually lived up to all the expectations.

	HM The Queen presents the Emirates World Series Trophy to Michael Tabor, joint owner of Galileo.

The excitement surrounded the head-to-head battle between the European superstar 3-year-old, Galileo, and the 5-year-old champion Fantastic Light in the 51st running of the race that is considered the most important all-aged middle distance race in England. The field of 12 included the Derby winners from England, Ireland, France and Italy along with older horses with multiple Group I victories around the world.

In the end youth was served as Galileo held off a fierce challenge by Fantastic Light in the testing up-hill run to the winning post in the mile-and-a-half Group I race to prevail by two lengths. Another length back was the 2000 French Derby winner Hightori.

There were so many sub-plots in this showdown it was hard to keep them all straight.

First it was the unbeaten 3-year-old Galileo challenging older horses for the first time.

Second it was Galileo's owners -- the powerful Coolmore racing and breeding operation from County Tipperary, Ireland -- against the world's most dominant thoroughbred racing stable, the Dubai-based Godolphin and it's standard bearer, Fantastic Light.

Third it was a match of two of Europe and the world's superstar jockeys: Irishman Michael Kinane on Galileo and the English-based Italian star, Frankie Dettori aboard Fantastic Light. And adding to this showdown was a High Court ruling in Dublin the day before the race that allowed Kinane to even ride in the race. The Irish star, who had guided Galileo to victories in both the English and Irish Derbies, was facing a two-day suspension by the Irish stewards for a riding incident at Leopardstown. He appealed. The appeal was denied but he got an injunction from the High Court.

There was also the matter of this being the second leg in the Emirates World Series Racing Championship and the first European stop this year on the 12-race, 10-country, four-continent circuit to crown a thoroughbred world champion. Galileo's victory earned him 12 points and a share of the lead with America's Captain Steve, who won the March 24th Dubai World Cup. Fantastic Light is the reigning Emirates World Champion and earned six points for his second place finish.

In the King George, Galileo, in the dark blue racing colors of Mrs. John Magnier and Michael Tabor, was well placed throughout the contest in a 12-horse field while Fantastic Light, in the Godolphin royal blue colors, stayed right behind him. As they made the final turn around this right handed rectangular circuit and headed for home in this 12-furlong test, Kinane split horses and took over the lead. Fantastic Light was coming on the outside and the two hooked up about two furlongs from home. The two drew even and perhaps Fantastic Light even got a nose in front as they drove to the wire. Kinane was along the rail whipping with his right hand and Dettori outside using the right-handed stick. In the end Galileo prevailed by the two-length margin.

Conditioned by the 31-year-old Irish sensation Aidan O'Brien, Galileo became the 26th 3-year-old to win the King George, but the first to beat the older horses since Lammtarra in 1995. Galileo was such a short price favorite that the British bookmakers started offering bets on the margin of victory.

A son of the Coolmore stallion Sadler's Wells, who was second in the 1984 King George, Galileo gave the Irish-based stallion his 47th career Group or Grade I winner -- a world record for a sire. The March 30th foal is out of the mare Urban Sea who won the 1993 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.

Galileo's King George victory and wins in the English and Irish Derbys put him in select company with such European superstars as Generous (1991) and Nijinsky (1970). His race record is now a perfect six-for-six with earnings near the $2-million dollar mark (U.S.).

On Galileo's schedule is the fifth leg of the Emirates World Series, the Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown in Dublin, Ireland on September 8 and then his ultimate goal, the October 27 Breeders' Cup Classic at Belmont Park in New York. The Classic is the 10th race in the Emirates series.

Will we see a rematch of Galileo and Fantastic Light this year? Many believe so because Fantastic Light was beaten just two lengths on a firm course giving away 12 pounds (133 to 121). And there is also the competitive "take on all challengers" attitude of Godolphin's leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

If it comes, could it possibly match the drama, and excitement of this first meeting? The racing world can only wait and hope.

Final Order of Finish: 1st- Galileo; 2nd - Fantastic Light; 3rd- Hightori; 4th-Storming Home; 5th Millenary; 6th Golden Snake; 7th - Anabaa Blue; 8th - Morshdi; 9th-Mutamam; 10th Chimes At Midnight; 11th - Give The Slip; 12th - Ice Dancer.

Final Time - 2:27.71