Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup
Grade 1, Punchestown
€275,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus,
3m 1f, Class 1      
Wednesday 1st May 2024

QuinnBet

Martin Brassil’s Fastorslow, despite his unsupervised escapade around Cheltenham, remains unscathed. Now, he’s setting his sights on Punchestown.

This eight-year-old gelding started at 8-1 under J. J. Slevin, boasting impressive form, including a second-place finish in the Ultima behind the subsequent Grand National winner, Corach Rambler, a year ago.

Fastorslow then took on the Punchestown Gold Cup, where he notably defeated both Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame, who finished first and second in the 2023 Gold Cup.

Returning this season, Fastorslow’s debut in the John Durkan at Punchestown saw him beat Galopin Des Champs again, while Willie Mullins’ stable star could only manage third.

In their next encounter, roles reversed: Fastorslow was the runner-up in the Irish Gold Cup, while Galopin Des Champs returned to winning ways, staking his claim for a Cheltenham repeat.

Galopin Des Champs, a well-justified 10-11 shot, eventually triumphed by three and a half lengths. Meanwhile, Fastorslow met misfortune at the 16th obstacle, parting ways with Slevin.

Despite the mishap, Fastorslow’s herd instincts kept him in the race, crossing the line in second place without his rider briefly threatening the winner’s progress.

Brassil reports that Fastorslow shows no ill effects from the jaunt, and now the plan is to aim for a repeat of last season’s Punchestown success.

“He’s fine, he’s come out of it well,” the trainer said,

“The race hadn’t really developed (when he unseated at 16th).

“He’ll go to Punchestown all being well.”

FormRatings

John McConnell’s Mahler Mission was fairly well backed for the Aintree Grand National, starting at 18-1 under Ben Harvey having finished second in both the Colin Parker at Carlisle and the Coral Gold Cup earlier in the term.

Last season he looked a sure winner of the three-mile-six-furlong National Hunt Chase at the Cheltenham Festival before falling close to home, a luckless run that nevertheless demonstrated his stamina.

That stamina was set to be put to the test at Aintree but luck abandoned Mahler Mission again as he got a little too close to The Chair and unseated his rider on landing.

The horse then ran loose for the rest of the contest and actually crossed the line riderless in second place, though thankfully he was unharmed after his exertions.

Assuming all is well following the trip to Liverpool, he will remain in action into the spring, with Punchestown high up on his agenda and a foray to France also a possibility.

“He’s got a few scratches and knocks but he’s fine, he’s all good,” said McConnell.

“He was just warming into it, we were getting to be happy with where he was but you just can’t leave your back legs in The Chair and he paid the price.

“It’s a frustrating thing to happen but he came back in one piece and that’s the most important thing.”

The National could feature in McConnell’s plans for Mahler Mission next term and more immediately there is Punchestown on the horizon.

“It was a bit stressful (when he was loose) but when he got to the front he was fine, he was bounding away and seemed to enjoy it so we might go back,” McConnell said.

“He’s in the Punchestown Gold Cup at the end of the month and that’s a possibility, there’s also a couple of races in France.

“Everything’s up in the air and if he didn’t run again this season it wouldn’t be a big deal and we’d just make a plan for next season, but at the minute Punchestown is on the agenda if everything’s OK.”

Mathematician Betting

Punchestown Gold Cup
€275,000 guaranteed, 5yo plus, 3m 1f, Class 1
22 entries
Going:

NO. FORM HORSE AGE WGT TRAINER JOCKEY
1 PP4362 Ahoy Senor 9 11-10 Lucinda Russell
2 2-2532 Appreciate It 10 11-10 W P Mullins
3 -21141 Ash Tree Meadow 8 11-10 Gordon Elliott
4 321-19 Banbridge 8 11-10 Joseph O'Brien
5 -22256 Bravemansgame 9 11-10 Paul Nicholls
6 -63140 Capodanno 8 11-10 W P Mullins
7 53UU32 Conflated 10 11-10 Gordon Elliott
8 1-533U Corach Rambler 10 11-10 Lucinda Russell
9 U-3662 Delta Work 11 11-10 Gordon Elliott
10 21-12U Fastorslow 8 11-10 Martin Brassil
11 2-3111 Galopin Des Champs 8 11-10 W P Mullins
12 U-8544 Galvin 10 11-10 Gordon Elliott
13 1-21P5 Gentlemansgame 8 11-10 M F Morris
14 1-1221 Gerri Colombe 8 11-10 Gordon Elliott
15 1-4016 Hewick 9 11-10 John Joseph Hanlon
16 -14311 I Am Maximus 8 11-10 W P Mullins
17 21F-31 Journey With Me 8 11-10 Henry De Bromhead
18 /1/416 Jungle Boogie 10 11-10 Henry De Bromhead
19 2F-22U Mahler Mission 8 11-10 John C McConnell
20 29-1P4 Monkfish 10 11-10 W P Mullins
21 1-RU14 Shishkin 10 11-10 Nicky Henderson
22 P-624P Stattler 9 11-10 W P Mullins

Free Racing Tips

Year Horse Age/Wt Owner Trainer Jockey SP

2023 Fastorslow 7 11-10 Martin Brassil J J Slevin 20/1
2022 Allaho 8 11-10 Cheveley Park Stud W P Mullins Paul Townend 6/5F
2021 Clan Des Obeaux 9 11-12 Mr & Mrs P K Barber, G Mason & Sir A Ferguson Paul Nicholls Sam Twiston-Davies 100/30
2020 Abandoned - Covid-19
2019 Kemboy 7-11-10 Kemboy/Brett Graham/Ken Sharp Syndicate Willie Mullins R Walsh 13/8F
2018 Bellshill 8-11-10 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins DJ Mullins 4/1
2017 Sizing John 7-11-10 Ann & Alan Potts Limited Mrs J Harrington R M Power 9/10F
2016 Carlingford Lough 10-11-10 J P McManus John Kiely Barry Geraghty 12/1
2015 Don Cossack 8-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Gordon Elliott Paul Carberry 5/2
2014 Boston Bob 9-11-10 Andrea & Graham Wylie Willie Mullins Ruby Walsh 5/2 Fav
2013 Sir Des Champs 7-11-10 Gigginstown House Stud Willie Mullins Davy Russell 2/1 Fav
2012 China Rock 9-11-10 Michael O’Flynn Mouse Morris Barry Geraghty 20/1
2011 Follow The Plan 8-11-10 Redgap Partnership Oliver McKiernan Tom Doyle 20/1
2010 Planet Of Sound 8-11-10 Charles Lloyd-Baker Philip Hobbs GB Richard Johnson 14/1
2009 Notre Pere 8-11-10 Tilly Conway Jim Dreaper Andrew Lynch 15/8 Fav
2008 Neptune Collonges 7-11-10 John Hales Paul Nicholls GB Ruby Walsh 9/10 Fav
2007 Neptune Collonges 6-11-12 John Hales Paul Nicholls GB Ruby Walsh 8/1
2006 War Of Attrition 7-11-12 Gigginstown House Stud Mouse Morris Conor O’Dwyer 4/5 Fav
2005 Kicking King 7-11-12 Conor Clarkson Tom Taaffe Barry Geraghty 8/11 Fav
2004 Beef Or Salmon 8-11-12 Joe Craig Michael Hourigan Timmy Murphy 5/4 Fav
2003 First Gold 10-12-00 J P McManus Francois Doumen FR Thierry Doumen 7/4 Fav
2002 Florida Pearl 10-12-00 Violet O’Leary Willie Mullins Barry Geraghty 13/8 Fav
*2001 Moscow Express 9-12-00 John Corr Frances Crowley Barry Geraghty 8/11 Fav
2000 Commanche Court 7-11-09 Dermot Desmond Ted Walsh Ruby Walsh 100/30
1999 Imperial Call 10-11-09 Lisselan Farms Ltd Raymond Hurley Ruby Walsh 8/1
1998 Mahler 8-10-12 English Badminton P’ship Nigel Twiston-Davies GB Carl Llewellyn 5/1
1997 Noyan 7-11-01 C H McGhie Richard Fahey GB Norman Williamson 13/2
1996 Billygoat Gruff 7-11-03 Peter Cooper David Nicholson GB Richard Johnson 7/1
1995 Butches Boy 6-10-07 Bridget Kennedy Pat Fahy Francis Woods 14/1
1994 Merry Gale 6-12-00 Herb M Stanley Jim Dreaper Kevin O’Brien 5/2
1993 Fissure Seal 7-11-01 Delton Syndicate Harry de Bromhead Graham Bradley 7/1
1992 Second Schedual 7-11-00 Hugh McMahon Arthur Moore Richard Dunwoody 12/1
1991 Local Whisper 7-10-07 Mrs Chris Harrington Arthur Bunyan Tommy Carmody 9/4 Fav
1990 Mixed Blends 8-11-00 J Spearman Mouse Morris Charlie Swan 7/4
1989 Super Furrow 9-11-09 Mrs M Marshall Jerry O’Neill Padge Gill 8/1
1988 Doubtful Venture 12-10-07 E Morrissey Paddy Mullins Conor O’Dwyer 12/1
1987 Bankers Benefit 7-10-13 Brigadier B Fowler John Fowler Anthony Powell 6/4 Fav
1986 Daltmore 8-10-01 N Coburn Paddy Mullins Tony Mullins 20/1
1985 Larry’s Latest 8-10-01 Miss A Collen Miss A Collen M Cummins 14/1
1984 Lantern Lodge 7-9-09 Mrs M Farrell Paddy Mullins Tony Mullins 7/2 Fav
1983 Pearlstone 7-10-08 William W Brainard Jnr Paddy Mullins Tony Mullins 3/1 Fav
1982 Fethard Friend 7-10-09 M Aherne Francis Flood Frank Berry 7/4 Fav
1981 Luska 7-10-01 John Brophy Paddy Mullins T V Finn 100/30
1980 Kilbricken Money 11-9-07 Mrs Charmian Hill
*Run at Fairyhouse

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