Gold Cup dream alive for ‘Percy’

PRESENTING PERCY is on course for the Savills Chase at Leopardstown’s Christmas meeting with owner Philip Reynolds beaming after his comeback effort last weekend.

Pat Kelly’s charge came home lame after disappointing when favourite in this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup and Reynolds admitted that “it would have been an awful pity for the dream to have ended the way”.

Instead, there is much confidence in the ‘Percy’ camp after an encouraging return effort when third behind Min with Reynolds delighted that the fire is burning bright in the eightyear-old once again.

“We didn’t know coming back from Cheltenham if this was the end of the road or not. Having gone through all of those emotions, it was nice to get that run out of the way and I couldn’t have really asked for any more,” Reynolds said. “We learned plenty. He came out of the race fantastic which was great because you’re never sure. Pat was on to me on Monday, he gave him a loose school and Pat said he was ‘as loose as a goose’ so it’s all good.”

With a short turnaround between the John Durkan and the Savills Chase on December 28, there were some concerns that it might come too soon for Presenting Percy but Reynolds scoffed at that notion.

“I’m not worried in the slightest about that. He’s a horse that takes his racing well so the break between Punchestown and the 28th wouldn’t bother me in the slightest. That’s the route he has to take, he has got to get back and face some of those that he will hopefully be meeting later in the season over a trip more suitable for them all.”

While a lot can happen between now and March, another tilt at the blue riband (for which he is a general 10/1 chance) is the long-term plan.

“It’s a long way between this and that but all going well and if he continues to progress, you’d hope we could get him back there,” Reynolds said.

Meanwhile, Enda Bolger’s Yanworth leads a seven-strong Irish assault on today’s Cross Country Chase (3.0) at Cheltenham with Mark Walsh in the plate.