Valleys vindicates Charlton's faith
Having annihilated his rivals at Royal Ascot, the Roger Charlton-trained son of Diesis was then a major disappointment on his only subsequent outing when third in the Phoenix Stakes at the Curragh.
But Charlton came into the Group One contest hopeful that his charge could regain the winning touch and his faith was totally vindicated.
Pacemakers Born In America and Colossus ensured that the race was run at a relentless gallop, the former going off so quickly that he was a spent force by halfway.
But Three Valleys always travelled strongly under Richard Hughes on the far rail and suddenly found himself disputing the lead at the two-furlong pole as the front-runners stopped in their tracks.
Sent on with well over a furlong to run, he quickly opened up a two-length advantage over his rivals and although the pack were closing at the line, the 2-1 favourite had enough in hand to hold the staying-on Balmont (8-1) by three parts of a length.
Holborn (50-1) kept on for third place, with Auditorium and Whipper doing their best work at the finish close behind.
But the biggest losers were Aidan O’Brien’s Irish contingent, the use of two pacemakers unable to get Grand Reward any nearer than sixth, one place ahead of stablemate Old Deuteronomy.
Understandably, Three Valleys leapt up the market for next season’s 2000 Guineas, with Coral going as short as 4-1, making him the joint-favourite with his Curragh conqueror One Cool Cat.
Ladbrokes, on the other hand, offered double those odds, with One Cool Cat at just 2-1 from 5-2.
Charlton revealed that the season may now be over for Three Valleys, despite the lure of the Darley Dewhurst Stakes back at Newmarket at the end of the month.
“I haven’t discussed it with the owner but my gut feeling is that that will be it,” said the trainer.
“It’s not as if he needs the extra experience and he had what was probably quite a hard race today. Richard said he felt as if he was getting tired inside the final half-furlong.
“This is a great result for everybody back home, especially Steve Raymont, who rides him every day.
“He is such a good horse. The sort of speed he can show and the horses he works with ... it is frightening how fast he is.”
Opinion after the race was divided as to whether Three Valleys would stay a mile next season but Charlton said he had virtually no doubts.
“There is every reason to think he will,” he said. “I would really like to try and win the 2000 Guineas with him.
