John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase (Grade 1)

NOT many horses come out on top when single-handedly taking on a field of Willie Mullins-trained A-listers but Fastorslow (9/1) proved fully up to the task as he continued his rapid ascent through the ranks to capture a cracking John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase.

Anyone still doubting the Martin Brassil-trained seven-year-old’s talents after springing a 20/1 surprise to win the Punchestown Gold Cup would have been given a resounding answer that there was no fluke about that Grade 1 breakthrough here.

The dual Cheltenham Festival runner-up produced a power-packed finish to overhaul a gallant front-running effort from Appreciate It close home, scoring by half a length under J.J. Slevin, who galvanised his mount despite losing his whip in the closing stages.

A round of jumping that was certainly sketchy at times from Galopin Des Champs did no favours to the reigning Cheltenham Gold Cup hero, who plugged away in third – beaten a length and three quarters – in a race that appeared to place greater emphasis on speed than stamina. He has now been beaten twice by Sean and Bernardine Mulryan’s star.

“This is very sweet,” beamed Brassil. “I knew John [Durkan] very well and this is the 25th anniversary of this race.

Tactical

“It was a tactical, steadily run race and J.J. never gave him too much to do – it worked out well. He’s just a very good horse and there is a lot to look forward to with him.

“He needed to back up that Punchestown Festival run. People might have thought we were mad taking on very good horses in the spring and he’s done the same today.

“He’s a horse who takes his racing well and there are four and a half weeks until the Savills Chase. The horse will tell us.”

BoyleSports responded by cutting Fastorslow to 4/1 (from 12/1) for the Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup, and pushed Galopin Des Champs out to 3/1 (from 2/1).

Willie Mullins said of the beaten 1/2 favourite: “Paul [Townend] said Galopin was very dead in himself today, no spark. We schooled him during the week, he pinged fences and we were very happy with him. It’s disappointing that he didn’t replicate his homework today. For some reason, he was very dead in himself.”