Reverence Set For Hat-Trick Bid

Eric Alston believes Reverence is in tip-top form ahead of his bid for a third consecutive Group One win in the Prix de l'Abbaye at Longchamp on Sunday.

The five-year-old quashed doubts about his ability to stay six furlongs in the Betfred Sprint Cup at Haydock on his last start, where he added to his win over a furlong shorter in the Nunthorpe Stakes at York in August.

Both those victories came on rain-softened ground, but Alston now thinks his stable star is handling quicker conditions much better than he did earlier in his career.

'He's in great order, he really is in super form,' said the Preston handler.

'As long as it is good ground there shouldn't be a problem. It's not going to be fast ground is it?

'Everything is right with him, he is in really good order and I couldn't be happier with him.

'I don't think the ground is that important to him now, it's just that he goes through it (soft) better.

'I know at Sandown (Champagne Sprint) he got beat but that was more down to him missing the break, he had a penalty that day too.

'He also ran a big race in the Palace House at Newmarket on quick ground where he just didn't act coming down the hill.

'If everything goes right I really think they have all got him to beat. He's in really top order.

'He leaves on Thursday morning, spends the night at Folkestone racecourse and then he travels over on Friday.'

(C) PA Sport