Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup (Grade 1)

IF someone told you Galopin Des Champs would nose out Bravemansgame at the line in the Punchestown Gold Cup at the start of Wednesday, you’d have been rubbing your hands for an absolute classic. If the same person told you Fastorslow (20/1), beaten off a mark of 150 in the Ultima on his previous start, would be two lengths ahead of the pair, you’d have been left scratching your head.

Martin Brassil wasn’t scratching his head, more punching the air in ecstasy, as after a luckless Cheltenham Festival where he went so close to victory with the aforementioned horse and An Epic Song in the Coral Cup, he recorded a third top level success in his career, following previous scores with City Island and Nickname.

This will undoubtedly be seen by many as a Punchestown-y type of result but Brassil, rider JJ Slevin and owners Sean and Bernadine Mulryan won’t care a jot and in fairness to the winner, he was meeting the subsequent runaway Grand National winner in Corach Rambler at Cheltenham.

Slevin was content to sit in behind the main three protagonists throughout but his race looked run before the third last when he seemed to be outpaced and the Punchestown crowd were set fair for a battle royale with the Gold Cup hero moving up on the outside of a fading Envoi Allen to challenge Bravemansgame.

Fastorslow worked himself back into the race however, and in between the two fences it quickly became apparent he was a big player. He jumped the last better than Bravemansgame and seized the initiative on the run in for a famous win, with Galopin Des Champs just getting up for second at the line.

“We were hoping he would,” Brassil replied when asked if he had expected this sort of performance. “His pedigree seemed to suggest that a step up in trip would suit him well. He tried it for the first time at Cheltenham and I’d say that race might have brought him on.

“I felt it did anyway but we were sort of delving him into the deep end here, going into top notch company. You have to try these things, there is no point in just dreaming about them.”

Lack of opportunities

Brassil had gone on record earlier in the season bemoaning the lack of opportunities for this horse. Given he had won a chase earlier in his career in France, he was devoid of novice status and had to take on Grade 1s. He won’t be as tricky to place next year.

“He’s only a seven-year-old so he has loads of scope now,” the trainer added. “There is no point in looking at handicaps with him now!”

Willie Mullins was gracious in defeat with Galopin Des Champs, who clearly was a level below the horse we saw at Cheltenham.

When asked if the Gold Cup exertions might have been a factor, Mullins replied: “Maybe, but look, it’s a horse race, we finished second and we live to fight another day. The main thing is the horses are okay in the morning and we can go again.

“It’s great for Sean and Bernadine, they put a lot into racing and I’m very happy for them. I don’t want to make any excuses for our horse.”

Interestingly, Harry Cobden felt the slight error at the last cost him dearly on Bravemansgame, who once again put up a fine jumping performance from the front. He probably deserved to hold on for second at least, but it was another fine effort in defeat.

The Ryanair Chase winner Envoi Allen seemed to lack the stamina and/or class back over the three-mile trip and may have needed a longer break in between runs.