Reverence Rewards Faithful in Nunthorpe Stakes

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Reverence popped out of the gate and never looked back as he led the way to a two-length victory in the VC Bet Nunthorpe Stakes (Eng-I) at York on Thursday.

Trainer Eric Alston and jockey Kevin Darley were delighted when the going at York came up soft, since they knew that their chestnut gelding relished such conditions.

Favored Dandy Man was prominent early, and ran just off of the lead. However, he was pulling hard on the reins, and fighting his jockey every step of the way. He began to weaken with just over 1½ furlongs to go, and had nothing left in the tank at the end.

At the same time as Dandy Man was fading, both Pivotal Flame and Amadeus Wolf loomed dangerously. However, Kevin Darley asked Reverence for a bit more and the race was over.

Amadeus Wolf held on for second, a head in front of Pivotal flame.

Reverence is a 5-year-old chestnut gelding by Mark of Esteem, out of Imperial Bailiwick, by Imperial Frontier.

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