Alston targeting Reverence at Haydock’s big sprint prizes

Apr 22 2008 by Chris Wright, Liverpool Daily Post

HAYDOCK’S biggest sprint prizes of the season are on the agenda for Eric Alston’s Reverence after his third at Naas over the weekend.

The seven-year-old won the Betfred Sprint Cup at the Merseyside venue in 2006 and he was back there yesterday as both the course and his trainer gear up as the Flat season gets into full swing.

Haydock have their first meeting on the level this Saturday evening, but Alston is looking already ahead to the betfred.com Temple Stakes next month. The Group Two five-furlong contest was transferred from Sandown is the feature event on May 24 – one of 22 race-days at Haydock over the summer. Alston said: ”If it was soft he will go for the Palace House at Newmarket on May 4, if it is not he would got to Paris for the St Georges on May 11. Then it will be the Temple Stakes here at Haydock. That is the plan up to now.”

Reverence followed his victory in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York, with victory for Lancashire trainer Alston at his ‘home’ Haydock track in the Sprint Cup. But last season things didn’t go to plan and he broke a blood vessel when finishing last as he attempted to defend his Nunthorpe crown on the Knavesmire last August. But Alston is hopeful he is now over his problems.

Reverence built on his seasonal reappearance at Nottingham when less than two lengths behind Snaefell in a Listed contest at Naas on Saturday.

Alston added: “He was great. They went very slow early on. In hindsight we should have gone a bit quicker ourselves. We didn’t really want to take them on and then they didn’t go very fast. He looked like he would win winning a furlong from home, but he just didn’t last home. Jimmy (Quinn) was the last one to go for him. But he has come out of it great so that is the main thing.”

Long-term another tilt at the Group One Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on September 6 is a likely aim. But for now the Temple Stakes, which Reverence won in 2006 when at Sandown is the first big target.

Alston said: “He looks back to his best. He is on his way. whether he has still got the ability to get back to Group One level, I don’t know. but he is getting there. He looks better than he has all year.

“We have had no signs of him breaking a blood vessel since. I was probably a bit easier on him for his first run. you think you are doing enough with him, but with his problems you are always a bit cautious with them, but he has worked hard since. It was a stiff old track (at Naas) and very cold.”

He added: “I was happy enough where the Temple Stakes was at Sandown. It was stiff five and it was handy for us. He travels so I wouldn’t have mind where it was. He won the Sprint Cup at Haydock which was great and it is always nice to win here.”

Reverence was paraded at Haydock yesterday, along with half-sister Quiet Elegance, who will also be back at the track.

She won at Leicester earlier this month, but was a disappointing 12th of 14 when stepped up to seven furlongs in the Nell Gwyn Stakes at Newmarket last week. Alston said: “She will come her for the Sandy Lane. She will come back to six furlongs. I couldn’t tell the other day whether she would stay I just ran her too quick.”

TODAY’S NAP: Icannshift (4pm Folkestone).