PEDIGREE observers will notice a familiar page in the Expert Air Farewell Antoinette Maiden Hurdle (4.10) at Naas on Sunday when it comes to Valsorpresa - a brother to none other than dual Cheltenham Festival winner Presenting Percy.

A five-year-old who cost €50,000 as a foal, the Gordon Elliott-trained youngster carries the recognisable green and white colours of Presenting Percy’s owner Philip Reynolds.

Valsorpresa’s journey to the track has taken some twists and turns, as Reynolds explained to The Irish Field.

“Like Percy, he was bred by Preston Lodge Stud, whose Johnny Weatherby has always been very good at keeping in touch,” said Reynolds.

“After this foal was born, he was continuously saying to me that I had to buy him - so much so that he made me buy him at auction as a foal. I was out of the country on the day of the sale so asked Pat Kelly, who went to the sale with a friend called Gerry McGarry, to look at him.

“I was on a flight and rang Pat afterwards to ask if he’d bought him for us, but he told us he hadn’t because the horse was on the small side and went too expensive for one who might have been a €25,000 or €30,000 type. There was more, though, because Gerry had ended up buying him for me on his own! He said he couldn’t leave him behind if he turned out to be useful.

“I didn’t know how I was going to break it to my wife Anne, so I brought her down to Pat’s on Valentine’s Day and had the horsebox with us. She loved Percy so much, so I told her this horse was a Valentine’s Day present for her. It was my only way of getting away with it! He’s called Valsorpresa; Val for Valentine’s Day and Sorpresa is Spanish for surprise - Valentine’s surprise!”

Reynolds added: “He’s been a bit of a labour of love for us so far as it hasn’t all been plain sailing. Pat was spot on, he is small but he’s the spitting image of Percy to look at.

“I’m not expecting the same sort of engine, but you have to throw a dart at the board to find out. Hopefully he does the Percy family proud.”