FIRST ISLAND can begin what promises to be another fruitful campaign by winning the Group Two Sandown Mile today. It is much to his connections' credit that the chestnut is still in training aged five but it doesn't take Sherlock Holmes to work out the reason why he keeps improving.
The Dominion entire began last season with a victory in the Listed Doncaster Mile in March and cut out an upward curve during the summer which saw him successful at the highest level.
After his win at Doncaster, First Island finished third in the Earl of Setton Stakes at Newmarket and fifth in this race 12 months ago before defying top weight in a Listed handicap at York in May.
Then he took the Group Two Prince of Wales's Stakes over 10 furlongs at Royal Ascot before stepping back to a mile for the biggest payday of his career.
Sent off 5 to 1 second choice for the Group One Sussex Stakes at Goodwood, First Island proved too strong for Charnwood Forest, even money to give Godolphin yet another Group One trophy.
Held up by Michael Hills, be courageously squeezed through a gap to lead inside the final furlong and galloped to the line to win by a length.
He was far from disgraced when second to Halling over a mile and a quarter in the Juddmonte Inter national back at York in August and came up against two out standing milers when filling third behind Mark of Esteem and Bosra Sham in what amounted to the European championship at that distance, the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes at Ascot.
Paddock watchers reported First Island to be past his best in terms of condition before the Dubai Champion Stakes, and so it proved. He was soundly beaten in fifth as Bosra Sham dramatically reversed Ascot running with Mark of Esteem.
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