Fastorslow on course for Irish Gold Cup Trainer Martin Brassil is hoping his stable star and high-class chaser Fastorslow can benefit from his November and December runs when contesting the Irish Gold Cup at the Dublin Racing Festival. A three-time Grade 1 winner and successful in two Punchestown Gold Cups, the 10-year-old returned following a 364-day layoff when finishing third in the John Durkan Chase in November and while sixth in the following month’s Savilles Chase at Leopardstown, was only beaten nine lengths in the latter race. Fastorslow remains on course for the DRF and Brassil reports “he’s come out of his Leopardstown race well, so hopefully we’ll go to the Dublin Racing Festival, and I’ve made an entry for the (Cheltenham) Gold Cup as well. “He has a bit of age on his side now. When you look back at Punchestown, he didn’t have a competitive race. He floated around there, and it was great to get him back on the track and finish like he did. Those older horses need to get into the heat of competition. He has loads of groundwork in him and we are happy with him physically. “Hopefully the race has brought him on a bit, and he’ll have his regular jockey (JJ Slevin) back on him at Leopardstown. We can dream after that.” Fastorslow is a 14/1 chance for the Paddy Power-sponsored Irish Gold Cup on January 31. Quotes from Alan Magee
