Gold Cup favourite Presenting Percy among stellar entry for Saturday's Red Mills

It turns out Willie Mullins was bang on the money. Ireland's champion jumps trainer recently predicted Saturday's Red Mills Chase, which is set to feature Presenting Percy, had the potential to be one of the races of the season and the entries for the Gowran Park showpiece have stacked up well.

As far as crowd-pullers go, they don't come much bigger than Presenting Percy. The Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite stole the show on Thyestes day at Gowran Park last month when making a winning reappearance in the Galmoy Hurdle, and trainer Pat Kelly looks set to race the top-notch chaser in the Grade 2 event.

The Philip Reynolds-owned Presenting Percy will face a maximum of seven rivals, including the Henry de Bromhead-trained Monalee, who he slammed in the RSA Chase at Cheltenham last season.

Anibale Fly, third in last year's Cheltenham Gold Cup, Killultagh Vic, Bachasson and Edwulf have also been entered.

Presenting Percy: one of the stars in line to run at Gowran Park on Saturday February 16Credit: Alan Crowhurst

Reynolds said on Tuesday: "I spoke to Pat this morning and he's very happy with Presenting Percy.

"He came out of the Galmoy Hurdle very well and has improved from that. Pat has a measure to go on because we were in exactly the same place last year targeting the same race this weekend."

Reynolds added: "Of Presenting Percy's last five runs, four of them will have come at Gowran Park, so he has kind of made Gowran his home. It will be nice to get him back there, and back over fences as well.

"It would be great to see him win but it's not going to be the end of the world if he doesn't. A bit like last year, we'll be going there hopeful rather than confident. It's a race that should put him spot on for the Gold Cup."

Reflecting on Presenting Percy's Galmoy Hurdle win at the track a month ago, Reynolds added: "When you hear Davy Russell say, 'It's days like this that we ride for' on a Thursday at Gowran Park, that sums up what a reception it was. It was unbelievable. Presenting Percy was even clapped out of the parade ring. That doesn't happen often."

Presenting Percy's love affair with Gowran has been a huge boon for the track, and manager Eddie Scally said: "We're thrilled to see him coming back and he's really started to turn into the people's horse.

"We're delighted Pat seems to love Gowran Park and continues to run him here. He's the darling of Irish racing and we'd be delighted to have him back."

He added: "It's not going to be a walk in the park with Monalee, Anibale Fly and Killultagh Vic in there. It's a Grade 1 in all but name. He'll be put to the test and it should be a great race.

"Red Mills have been sponsoring the race for 39 years now so to see it being elevated to where it is now is great. It's a credit to everyone involved."

As well as sponsoring the feature Grade 2 Chase, the Red Mills banner will be carried in the Grade 3 hurdle, for which Gordon Elliott has entered last year's Triumph winner Farclas and Coeur Sublime, a contender for this year's Triumph.

Elliott said: "We'll see how the horses are later in the week before deciding what to run. It’s never easy for juveniles when they have to take on their elders – Farclas has had to take on Apple's Jade in two races this season – but this looks a potentially nice opportunity for him.

"We’re anxious to get a run into Coeur Sublime before Cheltenham and there aren't too many options left, which is why we've put him in here. I've been happy with him over the last few weeks."

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