Running Fastorslow at Punchestown was a 'bold call' which ultimatley paid off said JJ Slevin following a thrilling win in Ireland.
Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow caused a huge shock in the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup at Punchestown.
Beaten by subsequent Grand National winner Corach Rambler in a handicap at the Cheltenham Festival, he was sent off a 20-1 chance against Gold Cup one-two Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame.
It was Paul Nicholls’ Bravemansgame who attempted to make all and after seeing off first Envoi Allen and then Galopin Des Champs, Harry Cobden’s mount appeared to hold all the aces.
However, it was the JJ Slevin-rdden Fastorslow – who at one point who seemed outpaced – that came with a storming late run to take top honours, with the Willie Mullins-trained Galopin Des Champs rallying to claim second from Bravemansgame right on the line.
Galopin Des Champs was the first of the big two to look beaten on the run to the final fence, and when Bravemansgame got in tight it allowed Fastorslow to close up.
Before Cheltenham connections had expressed doubts about Fastorslow’s ability to see out an extended three miles, but he stayed on stoutly to win by two and a quarter lengths.
Brassil said: “He was going to be carrying top weight in a lot of those handicaps so we just felt we might as well dip our toe in the water and see how much we find.
“There were only five runners and the first two in the betting had hard races in the Gold Cup. If there was a bit of a chink in the armour I thought we could hopefully exploit that. I didn’t think we’d win, but I thought we wouldn’t be far away.
“JJ is a cool customer, he took the shortest way around and the horse jumped well, everything fell into place.
“We were hoping the step up in trip would bring improvement, his pedigree suggests that he stays well. The first time trying it was in Cheltenham and I’d say that race might have brought him on.
“We were delving into new company, top-notch company, but you have to try these things – there is no point dreaming about them.
“There’ll be no point entering him in a handicap again now. He ran his heart out and just got chinned a couple of times so to come here at a local track and win a Grade One is great.
“We won’t have to do much planning now as we’ll be running in the good races.”
Slevin said: “It was a great performance from Martin and everyone getting him here in this shape. It was a bold call to run him here, but it paid off.
“It shows what you need to win a Cheltenham handicap, time and time again that proves to be the case. Corach Rambler is a hardy horse.
“We were riding him to run well, Bravemansgame and Galopin Des Champs were always going to sneak away.
“Martin always had a lot of faith in the horse, he’s some trainer isn’t he?”
Of Bravemansgame, Cobden said: “I had the most fantastic ride and he jumped great but I’m fuming I didn’t wing the last fence, I got in very deep and lost two lengths as well as momentum. After that the best horse has won, but if I’d have winged that fence it would have been a different story, I’m sure of it.
“It’s not the ground you lose jumping, it’s the momentum on landing as he pecked and the other horse came by me.
“I might have a different thought on watching back, but my initial thought is if I’d met it better I would have been a lot closer.”
