Island House back in business
The Geoff Wragg-trained seven-year-old drifted out in the betting to 4-1 after a below-par effort at Kempton on his reappearance left punters puzzling.
But those backers who kept the faith were rewarded in style as Island House galloped to clear-cut victory under regular rider Darryll Holland in the Peters Fairline Festival Stakes.
Holland asked the horse, who also won this race three years ago, to quicken up two furlongs out and despite showing his characteristically high head carriage, Island House stayed on to record a two-and-a-half length victory over Rawyaan.
"He is 'only' a Listed horse, although he did win a Group Three at Sandown a couple of years ago," said Wragg.
"He won't be going to Royal Ascot but we could take him to France for a little race. He could run at Longchamp the same week as Ascot."
Holland continued his pursuit of Kieren Fallon in the jockeys' championship as he sealed a double aboard 11-1 chance Flownaway the ExCeL Schroders Stakes.
Fallon's lead in the race for this year's title was cut to six (53-47) after Holland's mount had come with a well-timed challenge to land the spoils.
But the successful rider was playing down his chances of landing his first championship afterwards, saying: "I'll just keep trying to ride winners so that I can stay in touch with Kieren he will be a hard man to beat but I will be doing my best."
Flownaway's trainer William Jarvis paid tribute to the winner, who was registering his fifth victory from his last seven starts.
"He is a decent horse he didn't handle the track last time at Chester, but even that wouldn't explain the way he stopped so quickly," Jarvis said.
"We will forgive him that run now and maybe think about the Northumberland Plate."
Fellow Newmarket handler Ben Hanbury belatedly got off the mark for the turf season when Itnab coasted home by five lengths in the Marine Trader Maiden Fillies' Stakes.
