Reynolds: Presenting Percy looks a million dollars and I'm praying for rain

Rain, rain and more rain – that is the Christmas wish of Phillip Reynolds, owner of Cheltenham Gold Cup favourite Presenting Percy.

The Pat Kelly-trained seven-year-old has not run since March but looks a million dollars and is ready for a return to racecourse action, according to Reynolds.

Preference is for the Savills Chase at Leopardstown on Friday week rather than the King George VI Chase two days earlier, which would cost Reynolds a £10,000 supplementary fee.

Although not entirely ruling out supplementing last season's runaway RSA winner for the Kempton showpiece, Reynolds would much prefer to stay on home soil and is praying for more rain to fall at Leopardstown.

Davy Russell and Presenting Percy land the RSA Chase at Cheltenham in MarchCredit: Michael Steele (Getty Images)

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."

Watch: Presenting Percy win the RSA Chase at the Cheltenham Festival

Presenting Percy is clear favourite for the Magners Cheltenham Gold Cup with most firms, priced between 7-2 and 5-1, while he is generally 4-1 second favourite behind Road To Respect for the Savills Chase. He is a 10-1 shot for the King George with Paddy Power.

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

"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."

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