Willie Mullins is anticipating another great race between Galopin Des Champs and the Martin Brassil-trained Fastorslow in the Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup at Leopardstown on Saturday.
The two have met three times in total, initially in the 2022 John Durkan, when Fastorslow was having his first run over fences in Ireland and he was 21 lengths behind Mullins’ runner.
Fast forward to last April and Galopin Des Champs was the new darling of Irish racing, having won the Gold Cup at Cheltenham, while Fastorslow stepped up to take him on at Punchestown having been beaten a neck by subsequent Grand National winner Corach Rambler in a handicap.
Fastorslow showed he was a much-improved performer there, though, coming out on top at 20-1 – and he proved that was no fluke by beating Galopin Des Champs again in the John Durkan when both made their reappearance this season.
Mullins believes a change in tactics helped Galopin Des Champs return to his best at Christmas, when Fastorslow came out on the morning of the Savills Chase due to the soft ground, and the Closutton handler is hoping for a blockbuster race between them again.
“It’s going to be a hell of a race. I hope it turns out well and that the two of us are coming to the second-last, or indeed even the last – it’s going to be a great race,” said the champion trainer.
“He put two middling performances behind him, we changed tactics on the day and it worked. Hopefully he hasn’t left his season behind him there, but it was a good enough race to win anyhow. Hopefully he can do the same again on Saturday and we can go on to Cheltenham after that.
“We’ve been very lucky in the race but I’ve always targeted the race, whereas some people miss it to go to Cheltenham. It’s the Irish Gold Cup, it’s got great prize money and we must support our own races, that’s my view.
“I remember coming home from the races one day and my wife Jackie asking me if we’d ever have a horse good enough to run in the race, never mind win it. I appreciate whenever we have a horse good enough to run them, I enter them and see what happens.”
Mullins also runs last season’s Irish Grand National winner I Am Maximus but he has over 30 lengths to find with his stablemate from Christmas.
For Brassil, who won the Grand National at Aintree with Numbersixvalverde in 2006, Fastorslow has catapulted him back into the big time.
“It’s easy to get up in the mornings when you have a horse like him, we have other nice horses as well but he’s the star attraction all right,” he said.
“Any horse that goes to Cheltenham and just comes up on the wrong side of the lollipop has to be a fair horse, he gave the National winner weight and he was a really strong National winner and it’s possible he could be in the Gold Cup too.
“He’s not short of pace, people don’t notice how fast he jumps, he’s very slick over a fence, he makes a bit of ground at every fence and over 16 or 18 fences it all adds up.
“I don’t think he’s underestimated after what he did in the John Durkan, he’s a solid second favourite and if he runs up to what is expected, we’d be happy.”
The field is completed by Gordon Elliott’s Conflated, the 2022 hero here and last season’s Savills Chase winner, who unshipped Sam Ewing when making a tired mistake at the last in that corresponding race over the festive period this term.
Elliott said: “There’s four left in it; Galopin Des Champs, I Am Maximus, Fastorslow and Conflated. Conflated, on ratings, should only be third but he’s in good form and seems to like going left-handed around Leopardstown, so we’re looking forward to running him.
“I was very impressed with Galopin Des Champs the last day, he was awesome and he seemed to relish a bit of soft ground, which he’ll get again. He’s the one we all have to beat but if you’re not in, you can’t win.”
Supreme Ventures Racing urges review of racing rule after Caymanas Park abandonments
Supreme Ventures Racing and Entertainment Limited (SVREL), operators of Caymanas Park, have called for a review of Rule 44 (iii) enforced by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) following the cancellation of two races during the April 27 race meet at Caymanas Park.
In a press conference on Monday addressing the abandoned races, SVREL Executive Chairman Solomon Sharpe expressed frustration with the rule, highlighting its potential impact on the racing industry.
"This rule, unique to Jamaica, imposes a strict five-minute limit after the published post time for races at Caymanas Park," Sharpe stated. "It fails to account for various factors that can delay race starts and penalizes all stakeholders when races are abandoned, affecting punters, jockeys, grooms, trainers, owners, promoters, and the government."
Last year, Caymanas Park contributed over $260 million in combined taxes to the government's coffers. Sharpe urged the JRC to engage SVREL in discussions on Rule 44, emphasizing the need for constructive dialogue to address the rule's impact.
"We were not consulted during the initial discussions on this rule, and now, with two races abandoned in a single race day, our concerns have materialized," Sharpe explained. "SVREL is open to collaborating with the JRC to review and refine this amended rule."
Representatives from the Grooms Association, Jockeys Association, and the United Racehorse Trainers Association echoed SVREL's concerns and supported the call for a review of Rule 44.
Sharpe concluded by appealing to regulators, stakeholders, and the public to support the growth of the horseracing industry in Jamaica. "Horseracing has immense potential in Jamaica and can become a significant foreign exchange earner. Realizing this potential requires collaboration among all stakeholders."
SVREL has been operating Caymanas Park since March 2017 after the government divested the property. With investments exceeding J$4 billion in product enhancements and innovations like the Mouttet Mile, which boasts the largest purse in the English-speaking Caribbean, SVREL remains committed to advancing the horseracing experience in Jamaica.
Supreme Ventures Racing regrets abandonment of two races at Caymanas Park on Saturday
Supreme Ventures Racing & Entertainment Limited (SVREL) has expressed regret and disappointment following the abandonment of two races during the Saturday, April 27 race day at Caymanas Park in St Catherine, Jamaica.
The decision to abandon these races, SVREL said, was made in compliance with regulations set forth by the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC), leading to the refund of all related pools according to SVREL's Pari-mutuel rules.
According to the statement released by SVREL late Saturday, the abandonment of races number one and six, respectively, was declared by the stewards of the Jamaica Racing Commission (JRC) due to delays that exceeded the permitted time frame as stipulated by Rule 44(iii).
Specifically, in race number one, scheduled to commence at 12:00 pm, a saddling issue with horse number five and a mandatory veterinary check for horse number eight, which reared and fell after exiting the saddling barn, resulted in delays beyond the allowable limit.
Similarly, race number six, slated for 3:10 pm, was delayed due to a horse running loose, ultimately leading to its abandonment by the stewards of the JRC.
SVREL explained that the recent amendments to Rule 44(iii), which came into effect from April 1, 2024, mandate strict adherence to race start times with a maximum allowance of five minutes after the published post time. SVREL noted that Jamaica is unique in enforcing such a rule without prior consultation with the sole promoter of horseracing in Jamaica.
The enforcement of this rule has led to financial losses for industry stakeholders, including owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms, punters, and the promoter and as such the disruption caused by the abandonment of these races understandably resulted in unrest among stakeholder groups.
Despite the challenges faced, the race meet resumed with race number seven at approximately 4:00 pm, SVREL noted.
SVREL has now issued a sincere apology to valued customers and stakeholders for the inconvenience caused by the abandonment of races one and six by the JRC. SVREL also emphasized its readiness for open dialogue with the JRC and all impacted stakeholders to ensure the continued success and integrity of the horseracing industry.
As the sole promoter of horseracing in Jamaica, SVREL said it remains committed to addressing challenges collaboratively and upholding the highest standards of professionalism and service within the industry.
Light seeking to shine again at Sandown
Kitty’s Light is taking aim at his usual season finisher in the bet365 Gold Cup at Sandown.
The gelding has been a star for trainer Christian Williams, winning big handicap events like the Eider Chase and the Scottish Grand National and going close in the Charlie Hall and the Coral Trophy.
He has particularly good record in the bet365 Gold Cup on the final day of the season, missing out only due to interference when second in 2021 and coming home third in 2022.
Last year he was completed the set of podium finishes when winning by two and a half lengths under usual jockey Jack Tudor.
The two are well acquainted and teamed up for Kitty’s Light’s Grand National bid at Aintree earlier in the month, where he ran a valiant race to finish fifth behind four Grade-One winning Irish chasers.
Williams was incredibly proud of his stable star and is now hoping the gelding can shine again in the Sandown contest he has found to be lucrative in the past.
“It was wonderful, we trained him to win the race and we thought he could, but you couldn’t be disappointed with what he did,” Williams said of the National performance.
“We were thrilled, the horse tried his best and we were very, very proud of horse and jockey.
“He’s come out of it very well, if the race was run today even then he’d be running, he’s in good form.
“He loves it at Sandown with the big fences, his jumping has come on now but even as a five-year-old he nearly won the race.
“He was third the year after that, it really seems to suit him.
“I think he likes going right-handed, he hangs a little bit right at home and he seems to really enjoy it there.
“We’re taking our chance anyway, he seems well and we’ll hope for the best.”
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