CHELTENHAM Gold Cup winner Coneygree makes his seasonal return in the Future Stars Chase at Sandown on Sunday, writes Danny Hall.

And a member of the local Cotswold syndicate which owns the unbeaten chaser insists they will not be tempted by the Jockey Club's £1m bonus offered to any horse who can win the Betfair Chase, King George Chase and Gold Cup this season.

The Mark Bradstock-trained eight-year-old begins the new campaign in the inappropriately-named Future Stars Chase where he is the forecast 3-1 ON favourite.

The race is an "intermediate" race for second-season chasers and Coneygree qualifies as he was still a novice when winning the Gold Cup in only his fourth chase.

For the remainder of the season, Coneygree will be campaigned to give him the chance to prove himself among the greats.

“The season is all about the horse defending his Gold Cup crown in March and the Future Stars Chase is an opportunity to give him a pipe-opener without too much strain," said Alan Waller, a resident of Ashton Keynes and a part-owner and breeder of the gelding.

“Having said that he has never run at Sandown before, it will only be his second race going right-handed, and he faces the RSA Chase runner-up Southfield Theatre.

“Plan A is then to go for the Hennessy, a race we won before with his half-brother Carruthers. Coneygree loves Newbury and it is not too far to travel.

“Even though the Betfair would be an easier option, we are sporting owners and to win the Hennessy off top weight would put him up there with the likes of Denman.

“He’s pretty fit and has jumped really well when taken to the watered schooling grounds at Lambourn. We’d be disappointed if he did not run well.”