01 May 2024 , 17:35
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Dual Cheltenham Gold Cup winner Galopin Des Champs suffered yet another shock defeat at the hands of his Punchestown nemesis on Wednesday.
The champion was bidding to avenge his defeat of 12 months ago in his quest to complete the Cheltenham and Punchestown Gold Cup double.
But standing in his way was Fastorslow, who won the race last year and inflicted another defeat on Galopin Des Champs at the same track in November.
The pair had met twice more since when Galopin Des Champs prevailed at Leopardstown in February and again at the Cheltenham Festival, where Fastorslow unseated jockey JJ Slevin.
Galopin Des Champs went off the 1-2 favourite to take revenge but trainer Willie Mullins and jockey Paul Townend were forced to settle for the same outcome as Fastorslow edged the battle by a lengtn and a quarter.
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Mullins said: “Fastorslow is always great around this track at this time of year. I thought JJ gave him a very brave ride. He didn’t wait around for our fellow. He took the race by the scruff of the neck and it worked.
“Our fellow ran a great race and was staying on at the end so more power to Fastorslow. Paul set out to make the running and the race overtook him. I don’t think he jumped well enough to make the running.
“The better horse on the day won the race.”
Slevin seized the opportunity to atone for his Cheltenham mishap and the Martin Brassel-trained winner never looked like being caught by Galopin Des Champs once going for home three out.
“Cheltenham was quite a low point and to come back and win was unbelievable,” he said. “It was a massive performance. He has won quite easy.
“To go to a Gold Cup and something like that happen is a shocker. At the end of the day it’s a horse race so you have to get up and move on and go again.