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Connections of A Dream To Share are targeting a return to the track in the New Year with their bumper star’s hurdling debut delayed due to a setback.

The John Kiely-trained gelding made it five from five in bumpers last year when backing up his fairytale Cheltenham Festival success with victory at the Punchestown Festival.

The son of Muhaarar was purchased by JP McManus prior to his Cheltenham success and was declared to make his hurdling debut back in October, but he was forced to be withdrawn after suffering a stone bruise.

Frank Berry, racing manager to JP McManus, said: "He had a bit of a setback, but he is back in training now and we hope he'll be running sometime in the new year," said Berry.

"It had nothing to do with the ground, he wouldn't have been able to run after his setback and he was off for a few weeks but he's back in training now and whenever he is ready, he will run.

"It's most likely we'll see him in the new year. It's not ideal, the timing of the setback, but there we go. Hopefully everything will go well, and we'll see him out early in the new year."

A Dream To Share currently heads the market with most firms at around the 6/1 mark for the Supreme Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham next March.