Our Island

Our Island stayed on really well to come away from some useful sorts, Minella Stars and Railway Dillon, in an extended three-mile novices’ hurdle on Newbury’s rearranged Totesport Trophy card last Friday.

He jumped fluently throughout, just off the leaders, travelled well, crept up the inside turning out of the back straight as they bunched up around the side of the course before he was switched outside Railway Dillon between the third and second last to throw down his challenge. He drew alongside the long time leader coming to the last and stayed on the stronger to draw clear late on.

A son of Turtle Island, he is all stamina and will be an interesting staying chaser in time being a former point-to-point winner. He has a really willing attitude, he stuck his head out and galloped all the way to the line here. This was only his second run under rules, he won a three-mile maiden hurdle at Ffos Las on his debut, but this was a step up on that effort. He is entered in both the Neptune and the Albert Bartlett novice hurdles at the Festival and, while the Albert Bartlett is often a very attritional contest, especially for horses early in their career, Our Island seems to have the right temperament to be able to cope with it. He is held in high regard by his trainer Tim Vaughan and it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him skip Cheltenham though and continue his education at a slightly lower level for now. He will be an interesting outsider if he takes his chance in the Albert Bartlett, and he is an exciting staying novice chaser for next term.

18th February 2011