Percy needs presentable Christmas run

Presenting Percy owner Phillip Reynolds prefers Leopardstown over Kempton for his Gold Cup favourite as he searches for soft ground.

The seven-year-old has yet to reappear this season after his victory in the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival in March but that has not stopped him being the general antepost favourite for next year's Gold Cup.

Reynolds has been assessing his winter options for the The Pat Kelly-trained horse and readily admits staying in Ireland for Leopardstown rather than heading to Kempton for the King George meeting over Christmas is the more likely route as more rain is forecast for the former meeting.

The Savills Chase at Leopardstown on Friday week appears the plan at this stage with Reynolds after the ideal softer conditions.

Reynolds said: “I was down to see Percy the other day and he looks a million dollars. He has his head out over the door begging to run, and he's been like that since the end of August, but what can you do? We would have loved to have run him by now but he needs rain to arrive.

“It will cost ten grand to supplement him for the King George later this week and, while it is unlikely we will at this moment, I wouldn't entirely rule it out as we will go wherever the ground is suitable.

“If Kempton was softer than Leopardstown we might consider it but looking at the forecast for the two tracks it looks like Leopardstown is going to get a lot more rain than Kempton.”

Reynolds knows Presenting Percy is an ideal Gold Cup horse but admits he needs plenty of rain over Christmas to shine.

“I have everything crossed that the rain will keep pouring down. That is all I want for Christmas – rain, rain and more rain,” Reynolds added.

“You simply cannot go to the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the back of just one run so we need to run somewhere at Christmas. Whether that is Leopardstown or Kempton I don't know yet, but I really hope he runs somewhere.”