Trained by Henry de Bromhead in Knockeen, County Waterford, Montys Star has run three times, without success, at the Cheltenham Festival. In 2023, the Walk In The Park gelding was pulled up in the Albert Novices’ Hurdle, in 2024, he finished second in the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase and, in 2025, finished fourth in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, despite nearly unseating jockey Rachael Blackmore before halfway. In 2026, by which time Montys Star was a nine-year-old, connections chose to forgo a fourth consecutive Cheltenham Festival in favour of a crack at the Grand National.
Ridden by Darragh O’Keefe, Montys Star was sent off at 14/1 at Aintree and was disputing the lead at the fence after Valentine’s Brook on the second circuit, where a slight mistake did his chances no favours. Nevertheless, he pursued clear leader Jordans on the turn for home but, when push came to shove, he eventually weakened from the final fence to finish tenth of the 16 finishers, beaten 31 lengths by the winner, I Am Maximus.
Montys Star is currently officially rated 157, 2lb lower than at Aintree, but more of a concern is the fact that his only win in 12 starts over regulation fences came in a beginners’ chase, over three miles, on heavy going at Punchestown on New Year’s Eve 2023. He has twice finished second at Grade 1 level, but his run in the Grand National was, in fact, his first attempt beyond the three-and-a-quarter-mile distance of the Cheltenham Gold Cup.
Based on the limited evidence available, Montys Star does not appear to be an out-and-out stayer, but that doubt is reflected by his 50/1 odds in the early ante-post lists for the 2027 Grand National.Granted the shock winners of the Grand National, even since the turn of the millenium, it would be silly to say that he can’t, or won’t, win in 2027, but he looks to have his work cut out to do so.