THE move to bring the John Durkan forward in the calendar by Horse Racing Ireland’s race planners has yielded a positive result straight away with Willie Mullins now set to let Galopin Des Champs take on the Savills Chase, and what was already an intriguing contest now looks like a real Christmas cracker as it facilitates another match up with Fastorslow.

The scoreline between the pair reads 2-1 in favour of Martin Brassil’s seven-year-old, but it’s essentially 2-0, because when they first met, in last season’s John Durkan, Fastorslow was having only his second run over fences, and a novice in all but name. His progress since that race has been very impressive, notably toppling the Gold Cup winner and Bravemansgame at Punchestown and picking up where he left off with a hard fought win in the John Durkan.

The latter victory bodes really well as he was a drifter on the day, the odds very much suggesting he was prep run mode, yet he still managed to win what was a tactical affair. It was the perfect illustration of how far Sean and Bernadine Mulryan's horse has come, considering he was beaten 21 lengths in the race last season. In contrast, Galopin Des Champs, so impressive there 12 months previous, was well below that level last month.

With all that said, it’s curious to see bookmakers install Willie Mullins’s gelding in at favourite, but then again, he was so impressive through last season. Perhaps the return to three miles is what he needs, and he’s a course winner, having comprehensively won the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival.

Conflated is a dual course winner and the title holder for this race. Gordon Elliott had mooted that he could start campaigning the Gigginstown horse as a Cross Country specialist, but that plan has rightfully been shelved for now, because the Gold Cup third has plenty more to offer at Grade 1 level. His comeback effort in the Ladbrokes Champion Chase was promising, as he jumped left and only went down late in the day to stablemate Gerri Colombe and course specialist Envoi Allen.

Others to note are Classic Getaway and Appreciate It, who are dark horses to an extent, especially the former. He cost all of €570,000 as a four-year-old but has seemingly had niggly problems and failed to set off any fireworks as a novice hurdler/chaser. He was impressive at Thurles in a listed contest, and now gets a shot at the big time.

The Jack de Bromhead Christmas Hurdle is less intriguing in truth, but looks a fine opportunity for Home By The Lee to defend his title. Joseph O’Brien’s horse failed to exactly that in the Grade 2 Lismullen Hurdle at Navan last month, but his effort in defeat was very promising, staying on well in behind Bob Olinger and Zanahiyr.

This race doesn’t look as strong as it was last year so he will be a popular option for punters, for all that Grade 1-winning novice hurdler Irish Point is an intriguing contender on his first start over three miles. He did well to account for the race-fit Magical Zoe at Down Royal, but it’s questionable whether this trip will play to his strengths at this stage.

His stablemate Zanahiyr could be interesting. There was a real clamour to see him over three miles last season but when he got a chance in this race, he bombed out. That was surely not his running and he has held a really solid level since, notably finishing third in the Champion Hurdle and Aintree Hurdle. He looks worth another shot at the trip.

Another horse who looks worth another shot at a three-mile trip is Final Orders, who would be an intriguing runner in the Pertemps Handicap Hurdle for Gavin Cromwell. He disappointed in the Paddy Power Gold Cup but he might just be tightly handicapped over fences now. Back over hurdles, off 22lbs lower, there could be a nice pot in him, and while plenty of connections in this qualifier contest will have the Cheltenham final in mind, he could well take full advantage at a track he won twice at over fences last season.