Gold Cup hero Al Boum Photo begins road to Cheltenham at Tramore

A raft of stars are on show for the start of 2020 with defending Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Al Boum Photo in action at Tramore.

Al Boum Photo won the Grade 3 Savills New Year's Day Chase (2.20) last season before going on to glory at Cheltenham, and is set for a first start since finishing runner-up to Kemboy in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

Willie Mullins is responsible for three of the four declarations, with Acapella Bourgeois and Voix Du Reve also lining up. The Gordon Elliott-trained Shattered Love is the other runner.

At Cheltenham there are a lot of top-class performers, including Champ, who is yet to taste defeat over fences.

Champ bids to make it three chase wins in a row this season when lining up in the Grade 2 Paddy Power Broken Resolutions Already Dipper Novices' Chase (1.25).

The Nicky Henderson-trained chaser faces five rivals, including Deyrann De Carjac, who finished third to Champ last time at Newbury.

French raider Matfog is an intriguing contender, while Midnight Shadow, who is yet to win over fences, is only rated 2lb inferior to Champ, receiving 5lb.

New Year's Day cards

Six runners have also been declared for the Grade 2 Dornan Engineering Relkeel Hurdle (3.10), with the field featuring three previous Cheltenham Festival winners.

William Henry won last season's Coral Cup and has his first start of the season having last run at Aintree in April. The ten-year-old is one of two runners in the field for Henderson, who is also represented by Janika.

Roksana is another festival winner in the field, having claimed the Mares' Hurdle last season. Summerville Boy claimed the Supreme Novices' Hurdle in 2018, with the exciting Emitom and Quel Destin completing the field.

Also on the card, the 2018 Cheltenham Gold Cup runner-up Might Bite reverts to hurdles for the first time since 2016 in the 3m Paddy Power 69 Sleeps To Cheltenham Handicap Hurdle (2.35), while Kalashnikov bids for a first win over fences this season in the Grade 3 Paddy Power Handicap Chase (2.00).

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