Martin Brassil (left) with Fastorslow © Photo Healy Racing
Martin Brassil is happy with course specialist Fastorslow ahead of this afternoon's John Durkan Memorial Case at Punchestown.
Last year's winner, who landed the Punchestown Gold Cup for the second time at the festival in May, is morning favourite and will be ridden by Derek O'Connor with usual partner J J Slevin still sidelined due to injury.
"We're very happy with him and are looking forward to the challenge," said Brassil.
"He's in as good a shape as he was this time last year and everything has gone to plan.
"The soft ground won't really matter to him. If the ground had remained yielding, it would have suited him just as well. He's fairly versatile ground-wise.
"His jumping is such an added bonus to his armour. The one thing you look forward to when he's running is the way he jumps, he's very forward-going and attacks his fences.
"We weren't worried going into this race last year that he'd get caught for pace, because the speed of his jumping is always going to help to keep him in a race anyway. He jumps at pace, quickens well and has loads of stamina.
"It's great to have Derek on board. He's a master of his trade, a record breaker in the point-to-point field, and he's one of the 'go to' men when it comes to riding a good horse over a fence.
"My brother John would have used Derek a lot in his very early days as an amateur and I knew his mother, Jean Moore, who worked for Tom Costello when I was a kid, so I've been watching his progress through the years. Everyone likes to use him when they can get him.
"It's great to be involved in these top-level races and we're very lucky to have come across a horse like him. I wouldn't say he has surprised us but, probably, our expectations have been surpassed and there's more to look forward to.
"It's great to see all these good horses turning up in the same race for their first runs of the season and not being afraid to take each other on. Bringing the race forward a week or two has been a good move as it gives horses a chance to run here and then connections can plan what they want to do around Christmas time.
"Everyone will have an idea where they're going after Sunday."
