AFTER 1,330 days without a win, victory for Panda Boy in a Thurles hunters’ chase last month must have given trainer Martin Brassil immense satisfaction - and all roads could lead to the Cotswolds next month if he can finish in the first two on Naas’ Cheltenham Trials Day card this afternoon.

Regularly involved in major staying handicap chases without quite getting his day in the sun, the 10-year-old posted an impressive display when winning by nine lengths from Lifetime Ambition at the Tipperary track. He now has an intriguing clash in store with Pat Doyle’s in-form Hunters Yarn and last year’s Naas winner Ryehill in the QuinnBet Hunters Chase (4.35); a race won in recent seasons by the likes of Its On The Line and Billaway.

In order to qualify for the Festival Challenge Cup Open Hunters’ Chase at Cheltenham, there are three possible routes in the date range of after September 2023 and before February 23rd, 2026.

Option one is for a horse to have been placed first or second on two occasions in a hunters’ chase, option two requires them to have won two open point-to-points, and option three requires the combination of one open point-to-point win and a first or second in a hunters’ chase. The first pathway will be secured for Panda Boy if finishing in the first two in today’s five-runner affair, and he’s currently priced between 10/1 and 16/1 for Festival success.

Brassil told The Irish Field: “The plan is to get him qualified for the Hunters’ Chase at Cheltenham, so hopefully we can do that here. The ground could be testing, so we’ll see how he gets on. He did finish third in the Leinster National on soft-ish ground here last season.

“The horse seems to be in good form and we’re happy with how he’s come out of Thurles. Hopefully winning last time should have done his confidence good, as it had obviously been a little while since he’d won before. We’re happy to let him take his chance.”

Fastorslow on track

Despite being one of the only horses to routinely give Galopin Des Champs sleepless nights in recent seasons, there has been minimal chat around the Brassil-trained Fastorslow heading into this year’s Boodles Cheltenham Gold Cup. Yes, he is now a 10-year-old, but odds of 50/1 for a horse of his quality do look very big. He was only 8/1 for the 2024 renewal when unfortunate to have an unseat at the 16th of 22 fences.

Brassil doesn’t mind flying under the radar one jot, and had no regrets about bypassing Monday’s blockbuster Paddy Power Irish Gold Cup after major rainfall around the Dublin Racing Festival.

“We weren’t sorry to have given Leopardstown a miss,” said the Grand National-winning trainer.

“The conditions seemed testing enough, and there’s not a huge window of recovery there before another big target in March. Everything needs to go right between there and Cheltenham for you to make that timeframe work, so we’re happy to send him there fresh. He’s in good nick at the moment.”

On Sean and Bernardine Mulryan’s promising youngster It’s Only A Game, who wasn’t beaten far when fourth in Grade 2 bumper company at the DRF, Brassil added: “He ran well, but probably didn’t properly handle the ground. I’d imagine we might wait now for Punchestown with him. The owners like having their horses run there too.”

Notebooks at the ready

Elsewhere at Naas today, the SR Ventilation Supporting Kill GAA Rated Hurdle (1.05) looks another tasty renewal that should throw up real pointers for the Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle at Cheltenham. It so often does.

Donnacha O’Brien’s smart Punchestown winner Kilmeaden is back in action, as is Padraig Roche’s eye-catching recruit to this sphere, Saratoga. Genealogy, trained by Denis Hogan, ran encouragingly when second to Fred Winter favourite Winston Junior at Ascot last month, Munsif (Charles Byrnes) and Minella Boss (Oliver McKiernan) have flashed potential in maiden hurdles, while the Gordon Elliott-trained Highland Crystal is already a listed winner over hurdles.

“Highland Crystal is a lovely filly and one I’ve liked from the minute she came into the yard,” Elliott said of the Robcour-owned four-year-old, who was withdrawn from a listed event at Doncaster last month after getting loose on the way to the start.

“She’s getting better with every run and strengthening up all the time, so hopefully she can continue to progress, and we can think about having a crack at some of the spring festivals.”