Racing: Three Valleys ends his season on a high note

Three valleys restored his considerable reputation with a stylish success in the Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket yesterday. The victory enabled the Roger Charlton-trained colt to vault up the market for next season's 2,000 Guineas, with Coral making him as short as 4-1 joint-favourite with his Curragh conqueror, One Cool Cat. Ladbrokes, on the other hand, offer double those odds, with One Cool Cat at 2-1 from 5-2.

Having annihilated his rivals at Royal Ascot, Three Valleys had been a major disappointment when third at the Curragh. But Charlton came into yesterday's Group One contest full of hope that his charge could regain the winning touch.

Having accomplished this mission, the season may now be over for Three Valleys, despite the lure of the Dewhurst Stakes back here at the end of the month. "My gut feeling is that that will be it," Charlton said. "It's not as if he needs the experience and he probably had quite a hard race today. Richard [Hughes] said he felt he was getting tired in the final half-furlong.

"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. He was bad after Ireland and he hasn't been quite what I have wanted since then. He does seem to have a problem with mucus in his lungs.

"But he is growing up and progressing and, hopefully, it will be something that he will stop doing as he gets older. I would really like to try and win the 2,000 Guineas with him."