Thunderstorms in August may not please the majority but for Eric Alston they proved a godsend as Reverence relished the soft conditions at York to land the VC Bet Nunthorpe Stakes.

A testing surface is imperative for the five-year-old and heavy showers on Wednesday evening allowed him to stroll away with the five-furlong dash in the manner of a serious prospect.

Boroughbridge-based jockey Kevin Darley had the Preston-trained raider in the box seat from the moment the stalls burst open, and the pair barely saw another rival as they came right away in the final furlong for a two-length success.

Having been available at 20-1 ante-post, punters smashed into Alston's charge in the build-up to the race and he was sent off a 5-1 chance.

But he performed as his price suggested when beating Amadeus Wolf with Pivotal Flame a head back in third, to give the horse and trainer a first Group One success.

His main rival - the Irish-trained Dandy Man - failed to provide a match for Reverence though, and after pulling for his head in the early stages the 4-1 favourite dropped away late on to finish 12th.

Alston said: "I can tell you that last furlong is a long way.

"Stack Rock was second in the Prix de l'Abbaye in 1993 but this is my first Group One success.

"The distance doesn't really matter but the ground does. Kevin has always said he is a different horse on this ground. He says you can even notice the difference cantering to the start.

"It was only a year ago this week that he won his maiden at Ripon and he is a very good horse.

"I hoped it would rain."

Darley added: "If there's one thing I've learned from riding in the last 30 years, it's that you can get away with a furlong either way but you can't get away with substituting the ground and this fellow proved that as he loves soft ground.

"He has so much natural speed. I think he's an out-and-out five-furlong horse and with some give in the ground he finds a gear."

Local hero Quito (4-1) was given the biggest cheer when he stormed home in the SKF City Of York Stakes.

Trained just up the road at Stillington by David Chapman, the evergreen nine-year-old was winning his 19th race and 17th since he was bought by Chapman.

With his one-length call over Lightning Flash under Robert Winston in the seven-furlong Listed contest, Quito took his career earnings to almost £400,000.

Immediately, he was given a quote of 16-1 by the sponsors for the totesport Ayr Gold Cup, however, Chapman all but ruled his charge out of the big Scottish race.

He said: "He'll run at Beverley on Sunday if he eats up but if there is any doubt he'll go straight to Haydock Park a week on Saturday for the Sprint Cup."

Anna Pavlova had the York crowd on their feet again when she galloped away with the European Breeders Fund Galtres Stakes for Malton trainer Richard Fahey.

Paul Hanagan sent the 4-1 shot to the front two furlongs out. Despite edging left, she finished three lengths clear.