Russell looking forward to Sunday with Percy Davy Russell is looking forward to renewing his partnership with Presenting Percy on Sunday in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup, the highlight of the Dublin Racing Festival at Leopardstown this weekend. The Pat Kelly-trained gelding won the Pertemps Final and the RSA Chase in consecutive years but, following a curtailed campaign last season due to the unseasonably dry weather, he disappointed when bidding for a Festival hat-trick in the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup. The Youghal-based former champion jockey said, “He seemed to run a very good race in the John Durkan and we were hoping for a bit of improvement going to Leopardstown. He ran really well (in the Savills Chase) at Leopardstown but I just felt from the back of the last to the line he might stay on a bit better. “We’re hoping for improvement from that run but he’ll need it because it’s a very competitive sphere. I’m looking forward to having another go at them.” He added, “He’s a very talented horse but he went to Cheltenham last year with very little experience under his belt. “Hopefully the more experience this year will stand to him and he can go and be competitive at the very top level.”
