Frankie's Fantastic victory

Dettori punches the air after victory on Fantastic Light

Frankie Dettori rode Fantastic Light to a pulsating victory and new course record in the Breeders' Cup Turf.

The Godolphin five-year-old held off the late challenge of Irish horse Milan to claim a famous win at Belmont Park, New York.

Dettori looked round at the opposition on more than one occasion as he sped to the front in the straight.

But Milan, trained by Aidan O'Brien and Mick Kinane, produced a late burst to finish a close second.

He's the best - that's all I can say

Dettori on Fantastic Light

The win capped a great end to the season for Fantastic Light, who beat Galileo in the Irish Champion Stakes in September.

And it went some way to justifying Godolphin's surprise decision to run Fantastic Light in the Turf, and not the Classic, with Sakhee switching to the feature race.

Sakhee and Dettori went down by a nose to Tiznow in the Classic.

Fantasic Light held off Milan by three quarters of a length in a new course-record time of 2m 24.36 secs.

"That's a relief," said Dettori, whose previous wins at the meeting had come on Barathea in 1994 and Daylami two years ago.

"I was always in control and he has got a good turn of foot.

"He was always travelling super.

"He did lose a bit of concentration in front and he was looking at everything but I was never in danger of getting caught."

Fantastic Light had finished only fifth in this race last year but Dettori said: "Like good wines, he gets better with age!"

Trainer Saeed bin Suroor said: "Frankie knows this horse very well and it's a great day for us."