Fastorslow’s Options at Dublin Racing Festival

In the world of horse racing, there are often surprises and unpredictable outcomes. Fastorslow, trained by Martin Brassil, has proven himself as a strong contender for this year’s Cheltenham Gold Cup. With recent victories over last season’s Cheltenham hero Galopin Des Champs, Fastorslow is ready to make his mark on the prestigious event.

The journey began in April when Fastorslow shocked everyone with a victory in the Punchestown Gold Cup against Galopin Des Champs. Doubts were quickly dismissed when he repeated this feat in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase during his seasonal debut.

The highly anticipated trilogy was expected to unfold in Leopardstown’s Savills Chase over the festive period; however, unfavorable ground conditions led to Fastorslow being withdrawn from the race at short notice. In his absence, Galopin Des Champs secured an impressive victory and solidified his position as a top contender for the upcoming Blue Riband event at Prestbury Park in March.

Trainer Willie Mullins is now considering further preparations for Galopin Des Champs, including participation in the Irish Gold Cup prior to defending his crown at Cheltenham. Meanwhile, Martin Brassil has also entered Fastorslow into consideration for both races.

“The entries closed today for the Dublin Racing Festival,” said Brassil during an interview with PA news agency on Wednesday. “He’s (Fastorslow) in the Irish Gold Cup and we’ve put him (Fastorslow) in the shorter race as well, just in case the ground came up heavy, then we might run in the shorter race with it being close to the (Cheltenham) Gold Cup.”

Brassil stands by his decision to withdraw Fastorslow from the Savills Chase due to unfavorable ground conditions. Reflecting on that evening, he explained, “It was a horrible evening there; I’d had a couple of runners in the Paddy Power Chase the day before and the ground had well opened up. We’ve never ran him on testing ground before, so we said we had another option (Dublin Racing Festival), and we said we’d take it.”

In light of Galopin Des Champs’ impressive 23-length victory, Brassil acknowledges his competitor’s strength but remains undeterred. He confidently states, “He was great wasn’t he? He really was. It’s two-nil at moment anyway.” This suggests that Fastorslow is eager for another chance to challenge Galopin Des Champs.

Conclusion

The Dublin Racing Festival presents an exciting opportunity for both Fastorslow and Galopin Des Champs to showcase their talents once again. With unpredictable conditions playing a crucial role in determining each horse’s fate, spectators can expect thrilling races filled with suspense and excitement.