'Not ready to have a real hard race' - Savills target for Fastorslow Fastorslow is set to stay at home this Christmas and tackle the Savills Chase at Leopardstown. Martin Brassil’s star performer also holds an entry in the King George at Kempton but the Curragh trainer feels his charge will be better served long-term by heading to the Dublin venue. The three-time Grade 1 winner was a well held third on his return in the ‘John Durkan’ at Punchestown last month and Brassil is plotting a course back to the Gold Cup in March with the nine-year-old. Brassil opts for Savills Chase over King George “We’re thinking Leopardstown because it’s only up the road and will probably be a small field of runners,” Brassil told Dave Keena. “He’s probably not ready to have a real hard race yet. He’s fit and well but he’s a horse that’s had a few soundness issues and you’re on the turn all the time at Kempton and crossing an all-weather. “We thought for him, longevity-wise, we’ll go to Leopardstown and see how we get on. “Leopardstown is there the following month again and then, hopefully everything going well, we’ll head back and have another go at the Gold Cup.” Trainer satisfied with Punchestown run and current health When asked if he had progressed from his run at Punchestown he added:- “He seems to have. Those older horses kind of go through the motions as they get older. “He’s eating great, his weight is good, and we’re happy with him. “He probably dossed a bit (in Punchestown) because he was on his own for a good bit of the race. As it turned out it was kind of ideal because he wasn’t dragged into a battle like in a steady run race.” Brassil is also expecting nicer ground at Leopardstown:- “I’d be surprised if the ground was anything worse then yielding to soft on the chase track anyway. We’re looking forward to it.”
