2024 Punchestown Gold Cup Tips - Can Fastorslow cause the upset again?

Jon Vine

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Last updated: 30 Apr 2024

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Jon Vine 30 Apr 2024

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Betting and predictions for the 2024 Punchestown Gold Cup
This Grade One will take place on day two of the Punchestown Festival on May 1st
We're backing Fastorslow to beat Galopin Des Champs again

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JJ Slevin riding Fastorslow (R) clear the last to win The Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup at Punchestown. (Getty)

The feature race of the Punchestown Festival takes place on day two, as many of the sport's best chasers do battle in the Punchestown Gold Cup. This Grade One has been won by legends like Arkle during it's history and Galopin Des Champs will carry a short price into this year's renewal.

Here's our free guide to the 2024 Punchestown Gold Cup, including our best betting tips.

2024 Punchestown Gold Cup Odds

Name	Odds
Galopin Des Champs	8/11
Fastorslow	3/1
Corach Rambler	12/1
Conflated	16/1
Hewick	16/1
Bar	20/1

2024 Punchestown Gold Cup Entries

Galopin Des Champs successfully retained his Gold Cup crown with another peerless performance at Cheltenham last month. Willie Mullins' star was beaten in this race 12 months ago, but Galopin Des Champs has still been installed as the odds-on favourite to right that wrong at Punchestown.

Fastorslow took down Galopin Des Champs in this contest last year, before repeating that feat in the John Durkan. Martin Brassil's star is on somewhat of a recovering mission, having finished second to his rival at the Dublin Racing Festival before unseating JJ Slevin at the fifth fence from home at Cheltenham.

Gold Cup third, Corach Rambler unshipped Derek Fox at the opening flight in the Grand National and could step back up to Grade One level at Punchestown. Shark Hanlon decided to run Hewick over hurdles at Aintree, but could revert his King George winner back to chasing next month. Conflated steps back up in trip following a narrow defeat in the Melling Chase at Aintree.

Other runners at the Punchestown Festival include Journey With Me for Henry De Bromhead, Aintree Bowl fifth Gentlemansgame, and Willie Mullins' pair of Capodanno and Appreciate It.

2024 Punchestown Gold Cup Tips

Galopin Des Champs is clearly going to take the world of beating in Wednesday's feature. Everyone said the exact same thing 12 months ago, before Willie Mullins' Gold Cup hero was upstaged by FASTORSLOW (3/1), and ahead of the John Durkan, where Martin Brassil's star again saw off the two-time Gold Cup winner.

Despite his heroics at Cheltenham, Leopardstown is certainly Galopin Des Champs' favourite track. For Fastorslow to only lose out by four lengths in the Irish Gold Cup - where he jumped right at most of his obstacles - is a testament to this horse's ability. Galopin Des Champs went into that race on the back of a 23-length demolition of Gerri Colombe and I Am Maximus in the Lexus Chase, whereas Fastorslow hadn't run since the John Durkan, so you can upgrade his runner-up finish even more for that.

In the Gold Cup, JJ Slevin was flung from Fastorslow's saddle at the seventh fence from home. That wasn't the first time that Brassil's eight-year-old had jumped out to his right, but this time it caused a race-ending error. Based on his two most recent runs, switching back to a right-handed track like Punchestown is a massive positive.

Corach Rambler still has to prove he's up to Grade One level, despite that staying-on third in the Gold Cup at Cheltenham. I don't fancy Conflated stepping back up in trip. Capodanno and Gentlemansgame have plenty to find. Of the other, Journey With Me still has plenty of potential upside, but he's a heavy ground operator and Punchestown has never been kind to him.

Verdict

2024 Punchestown Gold Cup

Like last year, this looks like a straight shoot-out between Galopin Des Champs and Fastorslow, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if Martin Brassil's star claimed his third victory over the all-conquering favourite.

Fastorslow

2024 Punchestown Gold Cup Tips

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