Island House cruises home at Newmarket

Island House shrugged off a heavy shower to leave his supporters singing in the rain as he sailed away with the Egerton Stud James Seymour Stakes - the seventh Pattern-race success of his career.

The six-year-old is showing no signs that his age is catching up with him and now heads for a Group One event in Rome on November 17.

Island House’s slightly awkward head carriage has led some – incorrectly – to question his attitude but he showed admirable courage to recover when his path was blocked two furlongs out, and switched wide by Darryll Holland he pulled clear to score by five lengths from Parasol.

“He will stay in training next year but we have another race for him first, the Premio Roma, later this month,” said successful trainer Geoff Wragg.

“His old friend Swallow Flight has gone to stud but he will carry on for at least another season. He just doesn’t know how to run a bad race and is a real pleasure to train.”