Irish Cesarewitch to decide The Reverend’s Flat future

After a pleasing comeback last weekend, The Reverend will attempt to plunder The Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch before a decision is taken on whether the dual-purpose performer returns to hurdles this winter.

A four-time winner on the Flat for William Haggas, the five-year-old was switched to Willie Mullins for a hurdling campaign in the autumn of 2025 and was on course to run at the Cheltenham Festival before injury intervened just prior to an outing at Prestbury Park in March.

Owned by Brighton chief Tony Bloom and Ian McAleavy, The Reverend finished a close-up fourth in his comeback over one-mile-five at Leopardstown on day one of the Irish Champions Festival and will now head to the Curragh for their €500,000 staying handicap later this month.

With connections considering shelving any designs on a return to the National Hunt sphere, his outing in Kildare on September 27 could play a key role in shaping future plans.

“He ran a cracker and Willie was very pleased with him,” said Bloom’s racing manager Sean Graham.

“His next run will be on Sunday week in the Irish Cesarewitch and then we will have to make a decision whether we keep him for the Flat and aim him at the good Cup races next year or go jumping again over the winter.

“With his mark so high on the Flat and these horses being very hard to find, it could be a shame if anything was to happen to him over hurdles over the winter. The next run should tell us where we head.”