Nunthorpe Stakes

[saratogabrit]

Props to Jimmy Quinn for landing a Group 1 victory

[my miss storm cat]

Racing Post.....


US date a possibility for Reverence (Yea!!!!!)

by David Lawrence


RACES in the US are being discussed byconnections of star sprinter Reverence now that veterinary tests have revealed the Eric Alston-trained six-year-old was not suffering from a virus when he bled in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York last week.

Reverence was examined by vets after coming homelast of 16 and, as no infection has come to light to explain the gelding's setback, Alston and owner Gary Middlebrook have to decide whether to race him again this year or put him away until next season.

Longchamp's Prix de l'Abbaye in October remains a possible target but, with that Group 1 only a month away, several later alternatives across the Atlantic are being considered for last year's Nunthorpe Stakes and Betfred Sprint Cup winner.

Alston said on Friday: "The vets have established there's no virus on Reverence, so now we've got to decide whether to put him away until next season, prepare him for the Prix de l'Abbaye or think about a race in America.
"In a way, we were hoping to discover some sort of infection, as that would have explained the bleeding, but there isn't any, so we'll have to put it down as a one-off, build him up again and hope there isn't a recurrence."

Alston added: "We've done all the tests we need to do now, so it's just a matter of making the decisionto rough him off or keep him going for another month or two.

"If we decide to aim for the Abbaye, we've got a month, and if we go to America, that gives us until November. We'll talk about it at the weekend and work from there but, in the end, the horse will be the one telling us what we really need to know."

Middlebrook said: "We haven't completely discounted the Abbaye, but I'd say it's unlikely, because it's not that far off and you wouldn't want to run a horse as good as Reverence too soon after having a problem.

"If he's okay to run again this season, and if we bypass the Abbaye, then there are five or six possible options for him in America, including a Grade 2 race on turf in November."

[NoChanceToDance]

That has made me quite sad actually. I know you like he, and would love to see him race in America, but if he did, i have a funny feeling that could be the end of him.

I doubt you will have seen many horses like him in America. The turf cannot be soft enough for him. You know when the turf gets really soft and they then change the races to the dirt? Well, even that wouldn't be soft enough for this fella'

Some horses are more ground dependant then others, and is probably the most dependant on soft ground as i have ever seen.

I had a feeling this would happen, as soon as he starts bleeding (like any horse) the plan changes to America so they can race on lasix and god knows what else.

It's a harsh reality, but if they raced him on firm ground (the type of firm in America) he would more than likely break down on it.

[my miss storm cat]

Okay the thing is, i didn't think of it in those terms.....

Read the piece and thought oh my God i'd LOVE to see him come here.

What else can i say? You're making me afraid for him.....

I really like this boy.

[NoChanceToDance]

Originally Posted by my miss storm cat

Okay the thing is, i didn't think of it in those terms.....

Read the piece and thought oh my God i'd LOVE to see him come here.

What else can i say? You're making me afraid for him.....

I really like this boy.

I know, just like any racing fan you want to see one of your favs come and race in your country, everybody can understand that.

Maybe i'm going into too much detail..... but remember when i was telling you about horses with higher knee actions than others and they needed softer ground as they hit the ground much harder than the 'daisy cutters'?

Well, Reverence isn't a daisy cutter, and he loves to feel his hooves cut through the surface on soft ground, as he hits the surface much harder than other horses. One really firm ground you can imagine what damage it could cause to him if he was to hit the really firm ground you get in America, like he does with soft turf over here.

I hope that makes sense.

I'd love for you to see some of your FAVS, but that might mean coming over here to see anumber of the soft grouns horses.

Ofcourse, i might just be completely wrong, but this horse has shown how much he loves fast ground, therefore his connections haven't really risked him on firm..... but have they not risking him on firm for a reason? That is what worries me.

He started to bleed for no apparent reason, and the first word that comes out of a trainers mouth when a horse bleeds is usually "America"

[NoChanceToDance]

Although this might not please you, mmsc......... it's really good news to me (and the horse). It doesn't look like America is on the cards for Reverence anymore.


From RP......
by David Carr
.

LAST year's Betfred Sprint Cup winner Reverence, denied the chance to bid for a repeat victory after breaking a blood vessel in the Nunthorpe Stakes, was on Monday announced back on course for a tilt at next month's Prix de l'Abbaye.

Tests carried out on the gelding since he trailed in last of 16 behind Kingsgate Native at York have shown no cause for the bleeding so he is being aimed at the Longchamp sprint, in which he finished a neck second to Desert Lord last season.

“He just bled,” said trainer Eric Alston. “There was no virus, no infection or anything like that.
“I am not sure if that is good or bad really - it would probably have been better if they had found something but now there is no explanation for it.

“He had never shown any sign of it before and we hope it is just a one-off - horses do sometimes have a one-off.

“He was in great order before York and he has been great since. It doesn't seem to have bothered him. He is only doing light work at the moment, mind, but we will step him up in ten days and we hope we can get him to Paris.”