Renowned amateur rider Derek O’Connor has secured the plum “spare” on defending champion Fastorslow in Sunday’s John Durkan Chase at Punchestown.
With regular jockey JJ Slevin on the injury sidelines and aiming to make a comeback before Christmas, Fastorslow’s trainer Martin Brassil has turned to O’Connor for his stable star.
“He hasn’t ridden him on the track before, but he would actually have schooled him when he came to me originally,” Brassil said of the veteran amateur champion who he described as “a master” over fences.
O’Connor has a proven track record of successfully taking on top professionals with his big race CV including Edwulf’s success in the 2018 Irish Gold Cup for Joseph O’Brien and JP McManus.
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At Cheltenham last March he came agonisingly close to a slice of history by becoming the first rider to win all three amateur prizes at the one festival.
After winning the National Hunt Chase on Corbetts Cross and the Kim Muir on Inothewayurthinkin, O’Connor had to settle for the runner-up spot on Its On The Line in the Hunters Chase.
Slevin has been in the hotseat for all eight of Fastorslow’s previous runs over fences to date in Ireland and Britain, including when landing last year’s Durkan. The horse had previously won his sole start over the bigger obstacles in France.
The partnership has twice landed the Gold Cup prize at the Punchestown festival, but the rider has been out of action since breaking a bone in his foot at the start of last month.
Slevin reported another procedure is required on the injured area but is confident of a speedy return afterwards.
“I would hope to be back comfortably for Christmas. You’d want to be riding a few days before Christmas to be riding at Christmas,” he said.
Fastorslow has been beaten just once in four starts over fences at Punchestown where his rivalry with the reigning dual-Cheltenham Gold Cup champion Galopin Des Champs has become something of a standing dish.
Whether they will clash again in this weekend’s €150,000 highlight will become clearer after Tuesday’s latest acceptance stage for Sunday’s action, but Brassil is eagerly anticipating Fastorslow’s reappearance.
“He’s only an eight-year-old still and is only coming into his prime,” he said. “The ground wouldn’t really matter. He goes on yielding and handles soft so it shouldn’t be an issue.”
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