Fastorslow, near side comes to claim Bravemansgame over the last© Photo Healy Racing
Fastorslow took some huge scalps when springing a 20/1 shock in the Grade 1 Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup.
Just the five horses went to post and the seven-year-old gelding raced in touch in fourth behind the heavyweights Bravemansgame Galopin Des Champs and Envoi Allen as the field turned for home.
To put what he faced into context, he had the King George winner (Bravemansgame), the Gold Cup hero (Galopin Des Champs) and the Ryanair winner (Envoi Allen) to beat.
Fastorslow was very nimble over two out and was soon switched to come with his challenge between Bravemansgame and Galopin Des Champs before the last.
He closed in second on Bravemansgame who made his only mistake at that fence as Galopin Des Champs dropped to third.
Fastorslow soon led on the run-in and kept on well to beat 4/11 favourite Galopin Des Champs by two and a-quarter lengths. The runner-up just got up to deprive Bravemansgame of that position by a nose.
Jockey JJ Slevin said: "We were riding him to run well, Bravemansgame and Galopin Des Champs were always going to sneak away.
"Martin (Brassil) always had a lot of faith in the horse, he's some trainer isn't he?
"He was running over two miles and he wasn't struggling too much overt that trip, so we were always wondering if he got three miles could he do something like this.
"I was planning to hold on to a bit, I think he likes to be ridden like that. It is a long way around on this outside track, there's a long way off the bend to the second-last. I just wanted to hang on and save a bit to come home and see what happened then.
"It's unbelievable! It is unreal and I owe a big thank you to Sean and Bernardine (Mulryan, owners), Paddy Aspell, Martin and all the lads there. These big rides are hard to come by.
"Martin has between 15 and 20 horses, he had Panda Boy who was fifth in an Irish Grand National and Longhouse Poet. To do that with a small team of horses is unbelievable."
Brassil said: “He was going to be carrying top weight in a lot of those handicaps so we just felt we might as well dip our toe in the water and see how much we find.
“There were only five runners and the first two in the betting had hard races in the Gold Cup. If there was a bit of a chink in the armour I thought we could hopefully exploit that.
“I didn't think we'd win but I thought we wouldn't be far away.
“They quickened from the back of the fourth last and instead of going with them he hunted away behind them.
“JJ is a cool customer, he took the shortest way around and the horse jumped well, everything fell into place.
“The Mulryans are great supporters of Punchestown and the general area so it's great. We've been coming here for a good number of years now.
“We were hoping the step up in trip would bring improvement, his pedigree suggests that he stays well. The first time trying it was in Cheltenham and I'd say that race might have brought him on.
“We were delving into new company, top notch company, but you have to try these things — there is no point dreaming about them.
“They'll be no point entering him in a handicap again now.
“He ran his heart out and just got chinned a couple of times so to come here at a local track and win a Grade 1 is great.
“We won't have to do much planning now as we'll be running in the good races.”
Paddy Power gave Fastorslow a first show of 20/1 for the Gold Cup and eased Galopin Des Champs to 2/1f from 6/4 for that race. Bravemansgame was trimmed from 10/1 to 8/1. Gerri Colombe is now 6/1 from 8s while Corach Rambler is 16/1 from 25s. Meanwhile, Fastorslow is 20/1 from 33s for the Grand National.
Additional reporting by Gary Carson
