YOU know we’re in for a real winter treat when the top four in the Cheltenham Gold Cup betting are doing battle at Punchestown in November - Fastorslow’s trainer Martin Brassil even reckons Sunday’s John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase (2.25) is as strong a renewal as he has ever seen.

Nine runners, eight of them Grade 1 winners who have won a total of 22 Grade 1 races between them. Five of the field won at the highest level on their start, and the winners of the last two renewals of this race are back to renew rivalry - Galopin Des Champs (2022) and Fastorslow (2023).

Solving the 2024 John Durkan requires you to balance proven talent with potential, while trying to anticipate which of these stayers can prove effective below their optimum trip - and on the back of a layoff. None of the field have run in at least 200 days.

Could the answer to a superb renewal be found in the result from 12 months ago?

Fastorslow managed to upset Galopin Des Champs and four other Willie Mullins-trained stars in an intriguing contest last year, and Brassil is pleased with his stable star ahead of another showdown with the dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner - and a host of top novice chasers from last season, such as Fact To File, Inothewayurthinkin, Spillane’s Tower and Grangeclare West.

Brassil told The Irish Field: “It probably looks as good a John Durkan as I can remember. Just look at how many Grade 1 winners are in there. It’s really strong. We’re looking forward to the challenge of it. Hopefully it will be a great launchpad for him to start the season.

“He’s probably in a similar sort of place to where he was going into this race last year; we’re very happy with him.

“We’ll be taking things one step at a time through the season but, all being well, I’d imagine he’ll hopefully take a similar type of path through the season as last time.”

On the prospect of 33mm of rain over the weekend, Brassil added: “The ground wouldn’t necessarily be a worry, but when he gets to race on yielding ground, he probably might be at an advantage over horses who want soft ground.”

This will also be the first time in 937 days that Fastorslow has been ridden in a race by anyone other than J.J. Slevin. Record-breaking amateur Derek O’Connor will be deputising for Fastorslow’s injured regular rider.

Brassil said: “It’s good to have to Derek be able to step in. He really has done it all as a rider.”