J J Slevin’s William Hill blog: Targeting Fastorslow recovery for John Durkan

William Hill ambassador J J Slevin provides an update on his injury and when he hopes to be back in the saddle, as well as casting his eye on some top class jumpers as the season kicks off.

Targeting Fastorslow recovery for John Durkan

I’ve been out for five weeks now with injury as I broke a bone in my foot. It’s called the cuboid bone, which is right in the middle of my foot, but I’m on the way back now.

On Monday I’m getting it X-rayed again and if that goes well, I can really kick on. I hope to be back riding on November 24th as that’s when Fastorslow will be making his seasonal return in the John Durkan Memorial Punchestown Chase which he won last year on his comeback.

I’ve been out watching the horses at Joseph’s (O’Brien) nearly every day and if I’ve not done that I’ve been back home with my dad in Wexford as he has a few horses as well. In the afternoons I’ve been going to RACE (Racing Academy and Centre of Education) four days a week. I’ve been doing an hour in the gym up there and a bit of physiotherapy.

The physiotherapy has been going well, and the gym has been helping me. I’ve made sure I’ve kept going and not just sat around the house.

Top class horses keeping me warm on the sidelines

While I was unable to ride at Down Royal last weekend, I made sure I watched the action as we saw a few potential Gold Cup horses on show.

Gerri Colombe is a big gross horse, and I wouldn’t read too much into him getting beat in the Champion Chase there on his comeback run. When he gets more dig in the ground, and when he strips fitter, he will probably find going through the race much easier and when he runs at Leopardstown at Christmas you will find he’ll be a different proposition.

He is a really dour stayer and the extended three-and-a-quarter miles in the Cheltenham Gold Cup is right up his street. He was second in the race last season, and if there is ease in the ground there come March he will be bang there.

It was a massive run from Hewick. He jumped really well and gave it all as he always does. If the ground remains on his side for the Betfair Chase at Haydock I’m sure he will rock up there and run his race again. I would say the way they have the ground at Cheltenham in March it wouldn’t play to his strengths in the Gold Cup. I think he is capable of running a good race in the Gold Cup, but like I say the ground is unlikely to suit him.

As for my own Gold Cup contender Fastorslow he wasn’t entered in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on Boxing Day and I’m not too sure what the thinking behind that was. It might be that they just want to keep him at home and not to be travelling him both at Christmas, and a few months later.

However, Martin (Brassil) doesn’t usually put a foot wrong in that department and, whatever his thinking behind it is, you are likely to find come the springtime that it was the right decision.

I’m looking forward to him coming back in the John Durkan. You would be hoping he will improve for his return, but you need to have them fairly ready going to the well the first day in a race like that. He will just have him boiling over just to start off that day and then build for the rest of the season.

Looking forward to some Irish stars out this weekend and beyond

This weekend, all eyes will be on Marine Nationale in the Grade Three Barberstown Castle Chase.

He was a very good novice hurdler, and he started off brightly over fences, but unfortunately he went the wrong way. Hopefully the team have him back on track and he can do what he did as a novice hurdler. It is going to be an exciting race to watch.

If he comes back to what he was then he is a machine as he jumps really well and he will be bang there. I’d say the team will be feeling a bit nervous as no matter what sort of horse you have, after that sort of lay off, no matter what they are showing at home there is always a chance they can bomb out again, but we all want to see him back showing what he can do.

Elsewhere on the card Nurburgring is set to make his debut over fences. He has been schooling really well and Naas is a beautiful track to start a novice over fences.

Farren Glory is also in the race and although I won’t be riding him on this occasion, I’m looking forward to seeing how he gets on over fences and I will be watching on.

If things go well then for sure he could be an Arkle horse, but he might just get a bit further over fences. It will be interesting to see what level he can get to over fences.

Looking beyond this weekend I think the plan is to start Banbridge off in the Fortria Chase at Navan. He is in good shape and has been schooling well so he is ready to start.

Hopefully this dry spell we have been getting holds out for him. He has options of staying at two miles or going back up to two and a half miles. He has also been entered in the King George, so I could end up having a ride in the race after all.

He is a very versatile horse and the three miles around Kempton might just suit him. As ever the ground will be the big thing for him.

He is probably not a Gold Cup horse, but as he is getting that bit older the King George trip at Kempton could just be what he wants now.