'We'll work backwards from the Gold Cup' - Cheltenham the ultimate aim for Punchestown hero Fastorslow

Martin Brassil will train Fastorslow like a genuine Cheltenham Gold Cup contender after conquering Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame at the Punchestown festival and is keen for a productive season before the big one next March.

Fastorslow caused one of the biggest shocks of the meeting when landing the Punchestown Gold Cup at 20-1 under JJ Slevin and is 12-1 with Betfair and Paddy Power to claim the 2024 Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup.

Brassil, who won a Grade 1 with Nickname in 2006 and also sent out City Island to win the Ballymore Novices' Hurdle at Cheltenham in 2019, hopes Fastorslow can develop into a top chaser now that he has proved he is a strong stayer over three miles.

"You'd have to be thinking strongly about the Gold Cup at Cheltenham anyway. That's the aim and we'll work backwards from there," Brassil said.

"I'd like to get two or three runs into him before Cheltenham anyway. I doubt we would start at Down Royal, I'd say we will avoid that, but there is a race at Punchestown in October which we could think about and a few other options as well. We'll see. He's gone on his holidays now anyway.

"He came out of Punchestown really well. He looks super and couldn't have taken it any better. I was delighted with how he bounced out of it."

Martin Brassil: "I'd like to get two or three runs into him before Cheltenham"Credit: Patrick McCann (racingpost.com/photos)

Brassil believes the ease with which he travelled through the race against two of the best staying chasers currently was what impressed him most about Fastorslow's performance.

He added: "I was pleasantly surprised with how he travelled and jumped in that sort of company. That was very pleasing to see. JJ said he never felt like he was out of his comfort zone when running over two miles and said to me one day that he could be anything if he happened to stay three.

"I was always hoping he would stay and he proved that he does at Cheltenham and again at Punchestown. He's one to look forward to."

Fastorslow's performance in the Punchestown Gold Cup was the joint-best display of the entire jumps season in Ireland according to Racing Post Ratings. He received an RPR of 175 for that effort, only equalled by Energumene's 15-length romp in the Hilly Way Chase at Cork last December.

Prior to Punchestown Fastorslow was narrowly denied in the Ultima at Cheltenham by Corach Rambler, who landed the Grand National in emphatic fashion on his next start.

2024 Cheltenham Gold Cup 

Paddy Power: 2 Galopin Des Champs, 6 Gerri Colombe, 8 Bravemansgame, 10 Shishkin, 12 Fastorslow, 16 Corach Rambler, L'Homme Presse, 20 The Real Whacker, 25 bar

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20-1 Fastorslow stuns Galopin Des Champs and Bravemansgame with shock Punchestown Gold Cup win 

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