Monty's Star

Monty's Star was very good in winning the three-mile beginners' chase at Punchestown on New Year's Eve. Rachael Blackmore quickly had him into a lovely racing rhythm just behind the leader Three Card Brag. His jumping was very good, he made ground on his main rival at most of his obstacles, and his rider was able to sit quietly on landing, allow her horse to conserve energy. Monty's Star moved up on the outside of the leader on the run to the home turn, apparently travelling better. He led narrowly at the second last, moved into a two-length lead on the run to the last, and stayed on well up the run-in to win by over five lengths.

It was a really nice performance by Henry de Bromhead's horse on just his second run over fences. A half-brother to the top-class Monalee, who also raced in Barry Maloney's colours, he was a high-class staying novice hurdler last season, he won the Grade 3 three-mile novices' hurdle at Clonmel in February, and he shaped well on his chasing bow at Fairyhouse on Hatton's Grace Hurdle weekend when he finished a close-up third behind Corbetts Cross and Three Card Brag, with Nick Rockett back in fourth, in one of the hottest beginners' chases run this season. He stepped forward from that here, and there is every chance that he will step forward again now. He has the option of the National Hunt Chase at Cheltenham, but he has the class to be a horse for the Brown Advisory Chase, a race in which his brother Monalee finished second behind Presenting Percy.

Punchestown, 31^st December 2023