Star set for Tramore return with Gold Cup campaign in mind Gold Cup hope Monty's Star is set to make his return to action in the Grade 3 O’Driscoll’s Irish Whiskey New Years Day Chase at Tramore. The Walk In The Park gelding was runner-up twice at the highest level last season as a novice and that form has been given a significant boost this term. Henry de Bromhead's charge chased home current Gold Cup favourite Fact To File in the Brown Advisory Novices' Chase at Cheltenham last March. Barry Maloney's seven-year-old then ended his novice campaign with a cracking run to push Spillane's Tower to three-parts-of-a-length in Grade 1 company at Punchestown. Both those rivals have already laid down Gold Cup markers this season by finishing first and second in the John Durkan Chase at Punchestown last month. Tramore has been earmarked as the starting point for Monty's Star and he could be joined in the two-mile-six contest by 2021 Gold Cup winner Minella Indo, who won the race 12 months ago. “We're aiming Monty's Star for the race,” de Bromhead told Dave Keena. “He had a good season last season and we've decided to go for the Gold Cup with him, obviously his form is rock solid. “He's going to aim to start there and possibly Minella Indo, we'll see nearer the time.” When it was put to him that Monty's Star is an exciting prospect he added:- “Very much so, he was beaten in two Grade 1s. Fact To File beat him at Cheltenham and then Jimmy Mangan's horse, Spillane's Tower, beat him in Punchestown so his form is bang there. “We're hoping he's improved and he seems well.”
