The Reverend set for return from injury in Irish Cesarewitch

Smart dual-purpose performer The Reverend is on track to make his return from injury in the Friends Of The Curragh Irish Cesarewitch.

Owned by Brighton & Hove Albion’s Tony Bloom alongside Ian McAleavy, the five-year-old was a winner of four races on the level for William Haggas – including Haydock’s valuable Old Borough Cup – before switching to Willie Mullins to go hurdling.

Injury struck prior to an intended outing at the Cheltenham Festival earlier in the year, but having been nursed back to full health, attentions will switch back to the level and the Curragh’s valuable staying handicap on September 27 that has a guaranteed prize-fund of €500,000.

Bloom’s racing manager Sean Graham said: “A week before Cheltenham he got a hairline fracture of his pelvis and luckily enough Willie and his team spotted it and he was given box rest before going on the walker for six to eight weeks.

“He’s been back in proper training now since early August and the Irish Cesarewitch will be his first major target.

“He’s never won over two miles on the Flat but we do think he’ll stay.

“It’s fabulous prize-money and there will be 26 runners in it and there might be one or two better handicapped than him, but he’s classy and he will handle the easy ground which you will get at the Curragh at that time of the year.”

“Bunting and Mythical Bay also have entries in that race and all three horses are progressive.”

Although holding an entry for the Irish Cesarewitch, the aforementioned Bunting is predicted to take a high rank over fences this winter after making a fine chasing debut at Ballinrobe, hacking up by 15 lengths.

Explaining the switch to the larger obstacles, Graham added: “Willie had been a bit frustrated with the horse and earlier in the summer said he thought we should go over fences as he hadn’t won since his debut for us and Willie doesn’t like it when horses go on losing runs as it can become a bit of a habit.

“I was thinking he was third in the Cesarewitch last year and run well on the Flat before so do you not just keep him to the Flat, but Willie stuck him in the novice chase at Ballinrobe and in fairness I was gobsmacked by how easily he won.

“He handles soft ground so he can run over fences all winter and the ground won’t bother him one bit.

“He’s 132 over hurdles and with that performance he’s probably already 10lb higher over fences and has the full season ahead of him – hopefully he can pick up a few decent prizes.

“The way he attacked his fences and jumped, if he gets another couple of runs and nice experiences under his belt, he could be tackling graded races at some point in the season.”