Speculation mounts on Galileo future

There has been no decision yet on where dual Derby winner Galileo will run next after his much talked about defeat by Fantastic…

There has been no decision yet on where dual Derby winner Galileo will run next after his much talked about defeat by Fantastic Light over the weekend.

The Aidan O'Brien-trained colt was a hot 4-11 favourite when beaten for the first time in his career in the Ireland The Food Island Irish Champion Stakes at Leopardstown on Saturday.

Although a newspaper report claimed Galileo had run his last ever race, O'Brien said today: "The horse seemed fine this morning. There will be no decision about his next race until his owners have come back from the sales in America."

There are no definite arrangements for Galileo to gallop on the all-weather track at Southwell before any trip to the United States for the Breeders' Cup Classic.

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Last October, Aidan O'Brien was offered the chance to run Giant's Causeway at the track ahead of his appearance in the same race.

The course was considered to be the nearest equivalent in Ireland or Britain to an American dirt track. He did fast work over nine furlongs at Southwell in the middle of October and observers reported that he was on edge beforehand and seemed to be blowing heavily afterwards.

Giant's Causeway was later beaten a neck under Michael Kinane at Churchill Downs behind America's horse of the year, Tiznow, after a memorable fight in the home straight.

Southwell clerk of the course Fergus Cameron said today he was unaware of any plan to bring Galileo over to work on the track.

"Nobody has approached me about it. Nothing has been organised, to the best of my knowledge, but we have had runners at Southwell in the past that were being prepared for going overseas."