Russell recalls the glory days as Cheltenham hero Presenting Percy passes away

Davy Russell has described Presenting Percy's second Galmoy Hurdle win at Gowran Park in 2019 as "something he had never seen on a racecourse before", revealing that he was clapped out of the parade ring before the race and roared back into it afterwards.

Presenting Percy, twice a winner at the Cheltenham Festival including a runaway success in the 2018 RSA Chase, died on Thursday aged ten following complications with a leg injury that had ruled him out of action since Christmas.

Russell said Presenting Percy played a big part in his career and believes the public took to him because he was a winning machine and was always a working man's price.

Philip Reynolds and Davy Russell celebrate after another Presenting Percy winCredit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Russell said: "I remember one day at Gowran Park the crowd clapped me out of the parade ring. I didn't know if they were saying goodbye to me or trying to get rid of me or what!

"They roared me back in after the race. It was all for Presenting Percy. I have never felt that before on a racecourse. He was everybody's horse and I suppose that's because he was a winning machine. He was always a fair price for the working man too."

Reflecting on the fact that Presenting Percy never reached the heights expected after being so brilliant in the 2018 RSA Chase, Russell said: "He certainly had all the right credentials for the Gold Cup but he just didn't get the rub of the green. He was a pleasure to ride and, once you got him settled, he was a very, very good horse. He was a very accurate jumper too. It's a big loss to the whole Reynolds family as I know he meant the world to them."

Presenting Percy career details

Owner Philip Reynolds described himself as heartbroken and agreed with Russell in nominating the second Galmoy Hurdle success as his highlight.

Reynolds said: "I'm brokenhearted and still can't believe he's gone. I spent my whole life waiting for a horse like him to come along and I will certainly never have another one like him.

He added: "The two Cheltenham wins were magic and his best performance was the day he won the RSA. He was flawless that day and beat some really good horses. He looked to have the world at his feet after that and I just wonder did we get the best out of him after that.

"I would have to say the most memorable days with Percy were at Gowran Park, though. The day they clapped him in and out of the parade ring was unbelievable. The public just took to him for whatever reason."

Presenting Percy: among his career highlights was a runaway success in the 2018 RSA ChaseCredit: Patrick McCann

Presenting Percy won 11 of his 26 races and his 2018 RSA Chase success was by seven lengths from Monalee, with dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Al Boum Photo beaten when he fell at the second-last.

He was sent off the 100-30 favourite for the 2019 Cheltenham Gold Cup despite the fact that he did not run over fences that season and came into the contest on the back of just one hurdle run – his second Galmoy Hurdle win at Gowran. He could only finish eighth of 16 but was found to be lame afterwards. He fell at the second-last in the 2020 Gold Cup when still in contention.

Presenting Percy switched from Pat Kelly's stable in Galway to Gordon Elliott for the start of the current jumps season and was an impressive winner of a Listed race at Thurles in November. His final start proved to be in the Savills Chase at Leopardstown at Christmas, where he trailed in eighth behind A Plus Tard.

Read more from Presenting Percy's career:

'He's a dream ride' - Presenting Percy roars back to form in Boomerang Chase

Galway flips fences as Presenting Percy's Gold Cup prep takes latest twist

Presenting Percy different class as he leads RSA procession under Russell

Presenting Percy delivers in style despite handicap rise

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