Bookmakers slashing odds across ante-post markets following Gowran Park Grade 2
Presenting Percy confirmed his Festival credentials with an impressive 5 ½ length victory in the Grade 2 Galmoy Hurdle over three miles. However, it remains up in the air which race will be his Festival target with bookies cutting the seven-year-old’s ante-post odds for a number of different races despite owners appearing to suggest the RSA was their preferred destination post-race.
Last season’s Pertemps winner had pleased plenty with two wins from his three chase starts but was back over hurdles at Gowran Park when putting a strong field to the sword. With the Willie Mullins duo of Augusta Kate and Let’s Dance in the field, the race looked a competitive contest on paper, but Patrick Kelly’s charge made it look anything but, asserting up the run-in to land the spoils by an ever-increasing margin.
The performance led bookmakers to cut the winner into as short as 5/2 for the four mile National Hunt Chase with 7/2 NRNB the best odds on offer. It was a similar story in the RSA market with bookmakers cutting him into favouritism with 7/2 best odds NRNB (from 5/1).
A horse big on talent - Presenting Percy lands the John Mulhern Galmoy Hurdle at @GowranPark1 for Davy Russell and Pat Kelly: pic.twitter.com/YY5jDBBWMC
— At The Races (@AtTheRaces) January 25, 2018
It wasn’t just the victor who saw their Festival odds impacted by the result with the runner-up Augusta Kate seeing her odds tumble for the Mares' Hurdle after accounting for stable companion Let’s Dance, who had been prominent in the betting before disappointing on Thursday afternoon. Now best price 14/1 NRNB, she had been 20’s before her latest run with favourite Apple’s Jade also cut following the poor run from Let’s Dance. Elsewhere she was also shortened for the Stayers' Hurdle with 25/1 NRNB now the best price available (from 40’s).
Oddschecker spokesperson George Elek: “Presenting Percy was labelled one of the best handicapped-horses in training before landing last season’s Pertemps in taking fashion, however he now looks to be a few levels above a handicapper and is starting to look the real deal. Whichever option connections decide on for the Festival in March he will take all the beating.”
