Horse Racing: Peter Harris saddled Katy Nowaitee to win the Tote Cambridgeshire three years ago and the Berkhamsted trainer can repeat the feat with Shot To Fame in the first leg of the autumn double at Newmarket today.
Shot To Fame has been gambled on in recent weeks and is down to a top-priced 10 to 1 from 33 to 1 for the nine-furlong cavalry charge. The stable is rarely wide of the mark when the money is down. Shot To Fame had his latest outing in a 1m handicap at Kempton in August when he was an unlucky-in-running third to Irony. The gelding found himself short of room that day and had to be switched before making good late headway.
Shot To Fame, without a win since his debut as a two-year-old, has slipped down to a very handy mark and he is reported by connections in good order, having done a strong piece of work when sent to Newmarket to gallop last week. He goes to Headquarters in top form and is napped to make up for lost time.
Hanami can regain the winning thread in the Group Two Peugeot Sun Chariot Stakes. James Toller's filly took an Irish Group Two contest in June by a neck from the subsequently-disqualified Zee Zee Top, but on her most recent outing she finished last in the Darley Irish Oaks. But that was over a mile and a half and she drops back to a mile, which should be in her favour. She is a classy performer and looks the one they all have to beat.
Meanwhile, Three Valleys restored his considerable reputation with a stylish success in the Shadwell Stud Middle Park Stakes at Newmarket yesterday.
Having annihilated his rivals at Royal Ascot, the Roger Charlton-trained son of Diesis - who himself won this race in 1982 - 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 favourite had enough in hand to hold the staying-on Balmont by three-parts of a length. Holborn 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 contingent, the use of two pacemakers unable to get Grand Reward any nearer than sixth, one place ahead of stablemate Old Deuteronomy.
