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All-Weather Three-timer For Island Of Life As She Books Finals Day Place

Fast Track Qualifiers
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02 January 2019

Island Of Life (William Haggas/Richard Kingscote, 11/4 joint-favourite) recorded her third consecutive success of the 2018/19 All-Weather Championships when taking the Ladbrokes Fillies' Conditions Race at Wolverhampton today, Wednesday, January 2.

The seven-furlong Tapeta contest was a Fast-Track Qualifier, with Island Of Life now guaranteed a free start in the £150,000 Ladbrokes Fillies And Mares Championships over the same distance on Polytrack at Lingfield Park on £1-million All-Weather Championships Finals Day, Good Friday, April 19. 

Crossing The Line (Andrew Balding/David Probert, 11/4 joint-favourite) took the field along, and was soon closely followed by Miss Bar Beach (Keith Dalgliesh/Shane Kelly, 33/1).

From last place entering the straight, Island Of Life was delivered up towards the inside with a well-timed run to challenge entering the final furlong and soon took the lead. 

The five-year-old Dubawi mare won cosily by three quarters of a length from the staying-on Castle Hill Cassie (Ben Haslam/Jason Watson, 9/2), with the running-on Pattie (Mick Channon/Charles Bishop, 6/1), who came down the wide outside, another half-length away in third. The winning time was 1m 27.24s.

Island Of Life was running over seven furlongs for the first time since her racecourse debut in July, 2017. On her latest two outings prior to today, she won six-furlong handicaps at Newcastle (November 9) and Kempton Park (December 5). 

Richard Kingscote partnered Island Of Life for the second time today. He rode her to be a fast-finishing third in a five-furlong turf handicap at Haydock Park in June, 2018, when she badly missed the break.

He reported today: "We are making amends today. Me and her got into a pickle when I rode her last summer! 

"She has been in good order of late and was up to seven furlongs today. She had a lovely gear to put the race to bed.

"Mr Haggas said to find a rhythm and get her switched off. She was lovely, to be fair, and once the gap opened off she went.

"She is game and has got a nice attitude. In the past, she had a few problems with the stalls, but they have fixed that and she has a blind on now, which she pops out much nicer with. It is onwards and upwards.

"Finals Day was mentioned this morning. She is going the right way and on today's win you would hope she would be getting thereabouts.

"She stayed well over six furlongs at Newcastle, so seven around here today was never going to be a problem."

Newmarket-based William Haggas is seeking his second win in succession in the Ladbrokes Fillies And Mares Championships, having taken the honours in 2018 with Diagnostic.

All Weather Championships

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