Eric Alston's career highlights include the remarkable success of Reverence, the 2006 Nunthorpe winner, who was the horse of a lifetime for him.
Reverence, owned and bred by Guy and Lesley Middlebrook, had a challenging start, suffering two pelvic injuries before racing. After being trained by Mark Johnston and William Haggas, he joined Alston, who had previously trained Tedburrow to great success.
Debuting at four in 2004, Reverence soon showed his potential, winning races at Ripon, Doncaster, and Pontefract. His breakthrough came as a five-year-old when he won the Nunthorpe Stakes at York. The soft ground was perfect for him, and he led from start to finish for a decisive victory.
Just nine days later, Reverence won the Sprint Cup at Haydock, though he narrowly missed out on a Group One win in the Prix de l’Abbaye in Paris.
Reverence raced for another five years before retiring with ten wins from 42 starts. Now 23, he enjoys retirement with his owner. Alston, who retired from training in 2022 to care for his wife Sue, remains interested in racing and has a small share in a horse with Paul Midgley.