Presenting Percy 25/1 to make it third time lucky in Gold Cup

One major story buried in amongst the Galway Festival and Glorious Goodwood headlines was the news that two-time Cheltenham Festival winner Presenting Percy is leaving the care of Galway trainer Pat Kelly to join County Meath handler Gordon Elliott.

Given this broke during a busy period of Flat horse racing, few column inches have been dedicated to the announcement by owner Philip Reynolds of a stable switch for his star steeplechaser.

Presenting Percy, son of the 2006 Epsom Derby winner Sir Percy, now joins a yard that has won two of the sport’s most valuable prizes over jumps, the Cheltenham Gold Cup and the Grand National at Aintree. With the greatest of respect to Kelly, his outfit is nothing like the same scale as Elliott’s operation at Cullentra. Presenting Percy was an undoubted stable star for his now former trainer, but change can be good for racehorses. The gelding is now joining a yard with high-profile National Hunt types in it including Delta Work, Envoi Allen, Samcro, Malone Road and of course Tiger Roll.

Presenting Percy had the world at his feet after following-up on his 2017 Pertemps Final victory over hurdles with an even more impressive win in the RSA Novices’ Chase at Cheltenham 12 months later. Precious little has gone right since, however. He was sent off a 100/30 favourite for the Gold Cup in 2019 but finished lame with a back problem.

The comeback trail last season wasn’t entirely without promise for Presenting Percy. He placed third in both the John Durkan on reappearance at Punchestown and Irish Gold Cup during the Dublin Racing Festival. Presenting Percy was also travelling well enough when coming to grief two out at Cheltenham.

Now that he’s moved to Elliott, bookmakers clearly feel there is an air of unfinished business about him. According to the latest horse racing betting on the 2021 Cheltenham Gold Cup, Presenting Percy is a 25/1 chance. They rate him as likely as anything else currently in the yard to win the blue riband event of steeplechasing. While Presenting Percy hasn’t been able to give his running in the last two renewals of the Gold Cup, his change of stables is also interesting for other reasons. He will be 10 years old come the next Cheltenham Festival and just two horses of that age have won the feature race in the last 30 years. You can’t help but wonder if Reynolds may also have his eye on other prizes.

We could see the Irish Grand National rearranged before the year is out. Presenting Percy won over the course and distance at Fairyhouse in a Grade B handicap off top weight whilst still a novice. That may tempt connections if the race is scheduled for the Winter Festival in early December. More significantly, Presenting Percy is a standout 40/1 with 888Sport for the English equivalent next April. If Elliott were to aim him at Aintree, then he would currently get weight from stable companion Tiger Roll who won back-to-back renewals of the Grand National in 2018 and 2019.

Following a summer where other National Hunt racehorses have been moved out of Ireland by the likes of Malcolm Denmark and Sullivan Bloodstock, the transfer of Presenting Percy is definitely something to keep an eye on. Elliott will doubtless relish the challenge of helping him finally fulfil his potential.