Punchestown Gold Cup: Fastorslow repeats last year’s success

Fastorslow repeated his victory of last year as he once again got the better of Galopin Des Champs in the Punchestown Gold Cup.

The Martin Brassil-trained horse came home one and a quarter lengths clear of the 1-2 favourite, with Hewick a further two and a quarter lengths behind in third.

For jockey JJ Slevin, it was a second Grade One win in successive days after he rode Banbridge to victory in the Champion Chase at Punchestown on Tuesday.

“He’s some horse, by far the best horse I’ve ever ridden, an absolute machine,” Slevin, who also won the Irish Grand National on Intense Raffles, told RTE after the race.

Fastorslow was a shock 20-1 winner from Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Galopin Des Champs 12 months ago but went off at much shorter odds of 7-2 this time.

The eventual winner travelled particularly well as Conflated set the early pace and clearly had plenty still to give as the race began in earnest.

Slevin had his mount in pole position with two fences to jump and while Galopin Des Champs tried to challenge on the run to the last, he never really looked like getting on top.

Fastorslow cleared the last in style and galloped home ahead of the dual Cheltenham champion, with King George winner Hewick finishing with real purpose to grab third.

After watching his horse produce an accurate jumping display, Sean Mulryan, who owns the winning horse with wife Bernadine, described Fastorslow as “a once in a lifetime horse”.

“Martin [Brassil, trainer] and I are fortunate to have him,” he added.