Hill unveils Islander plans

John Hills will start Dark Islander off in the Vodafone Diomed Stakes on Derby day at Epsom.

An entry had been pencilled in for the Amethyst Stakes at Leopardstown on Sunday, but Hills has decided to hold fire until next month.

Dark Islander was a good handicapper in Britain although a bold swoop to America saw the Singspiel colt pinch the Oak Tree Derby at Santa Anita last October.

Hills is also looking further ahead with Dark Islander towards the Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot.

“We took him out of the Irish race and his intended first target is the Diomed,” said the trainer.

“I am very happy with him. He had to do quarantine after coming back from California, which meant I did not actually get him back until January.

“He likes fast ground and we want to plan a campaign that keeps him going until the autumn. The only other race to start him off in was the Lockinge, which was not ideal.

“If everything goes to plan, we can look at the Queen Anne as although the Oak Tree Derby was over nine furlongs, he’s essentially a miler.”