Festival 2026
Tuesday 28 April – Saturday 2 May 2026
We are celebrating the best of the best. Join us for brilliant sport, food, music, style and fun.
BUY TICKETS
Festival Racing
FESTIVAL OVERVIEW
BOLD, ENERGY
Gates open
12pm Each Day
First race
2.30pm Tuesday/ Wednesday/ Thursday/ Saturday. 3.40pm Friday.
Last race
6.30pm Tuesday/ Wednesday/ Thursday/ Saturday. 7.40pm Friday
Venue close
8.30PM Tuesday/ Wednesday/ Thursday/ Saturday. 9.30PM Friday.
DAY ONE – Tuesday 28 April – William Hill Champion Chase Day
The opening day of the festival is one for the real racing fans with three brilliant Grade 1 contests featuring the William Hill Champion Chase.
*Please note the timings are subject to change.
| TIMES | RACE | DISTANCE | TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | The Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup of €20,000 | 3 Miles 1 Furlong | Cross-Country Chase |
| 15:05 | The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final of €100,000 | 2 Miles 4 Furlongs | Hurdle |
| 15:40 | The Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Listed) of €75,000 | 2 Miles 150 Yds | Hurdle |
| 16:15 | The GR1 Punchestown Champion Novice Hurdle of €125,000 | 2 Miles 100 Yds | Hurdle |
| 16:50 | The GR1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase of €125,000 | 3 Miles 200 Yds | Chase |
| 17:25 | The Goffs Defender Bumper of €100,000 | 2 Miles 100 Yds | Bumper |
| 18:05 | The GR1 William Hill Champion Chase of €300,000 | 2 Miles | Chase |
| 18:35 | The Willie Coonan Memorial Flat Race of €20,000 | 2 Miles 150 Yds | Bumper |
DAY TWO – Wednesday 29 April – Ladbrokes Gold Cup Day
The jewel in the crown of the entire event and possibly the Irish jump racing calendar. The Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup takes centre stage on day two. This race will always be known for providing Ruby Walsh with his final winner in 2019 on Kemboy.
*Please note the timings are subject to change.
| TIMES | RACE | DISTANCE | TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | The Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle of €30,000 | 2 Miles 3 Furlongs 58 Yds | Hurdle |
| 15:05 | The Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final of €75,000 | 2 Miles 3 Furlongs 58 Yds | Hurdle |
| 15:40 | The Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle of €20,000 | 2 Miles 3 Furlongs 58 Yds | Hurdle |
| 16:15 | The GR1 Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle of €125,000 | 2 Miles 7 Furlongs 190 Yds | Hurdle |
| 16:50 | The GR1 Race And Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race of €100,000 | 2 Miles 132 Yds | Bumper |
| 17:25 | The GR3 Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Steeplechase of €100,000 | 2 Miles 4 Furlongs 80 Yds | Chase |
| 18:05 | The GR1 Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup of €300,000 | 3 Miles 200 Yds | Chase |
| 18:35 | The GR3 Weatherbys GSB Irish EBF Mares Flat Race of €55,000 | 2 Miles 130 Yds | Bumper |
DAY THREE – Thursday 30 April – Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle Day
Stamina is the name of the game on day three with runners and riders lining up for the Ladbrokes centrepiece. The original racecourse sale, the Goffs PunchestownSale, takes place after racing in the winners enclosure.
*Please note the timings are subject to change.
| TIMES | RACE | DISTANCE | TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | The Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle of €20,000 | 2 Miles | Hurdle |
| 15:05 | The Close Brothers Irish EBF Mares Novice Hurdle(Listed) of €40,000 | 2 Miles 90 Yds | Hurdle |
| 15:40 | The Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross-Country Chase of €40,000 | 4 Miles 1 Furlongs | Cross-Country Chase |
| 16:15 | The Conway Piling Listed Handicap Hurdle of €75,000 | 2 Miles 7 Furlongs 110 Yds | Hurdle |
| 16:50 | The Frontline Security Handicap Chase of €75,000 | 2 Miles 75 Yds | Chase |
| 17:25 | The GR1 Barberstown Castle Novice Chase of €125,000 | 2 Miles 75 Yds | Chase |
| 18:05 | The GR1 Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle of €300,000 | 2 Miles 7 Furlongs 130 Yds | Hurdle |
| 18:35 | The J P & M Doyle (C&G) Flat Race of €20,000 | 2 Miles 90 Yds | Bumper |
DAY FOUR – Friday 1 May – BOODLES Champion Hurdle Day
The penultimate day of the Festival. Considered by many to be the social highlight of the event. On the track current, past and potential champion hurdlers meet in the Punchestown feature whilst the Bollinger Best Dressed is unveiled in the Bollinger Garden.
*Please note the timings are subject to change.
| TIMES | RACE | DISTANCE | TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15:40 | The Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup of €20,000 | 2 Miles 5 Furlongs | Bush-Fence Chase |
| 16:15 | The Uniquely Champion Hunters Chase of €30,000 | 3 Miles 160 Yds | Chase |
| 16:50 | The GR2 Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Mares Chase of €80,000 | 2 Miles 5 Furlongs 55 Yds | Chase |
| 17:25 | The Quinnbet Novice Handicap Chase(Listed) of €100,000 | 2 Miles 4 Furlongs 55 Yds | Chase |
| 18:00 | The GR1 Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle of €125,000 | 2 Miles 4 Furlongs 140 Yds | Hurdle |
| 18:40 | The GR1 Boodles Champion Hurdle of €300,000 | 2 Miles 45 Yds | Hurdle |
| 19:10 | The FRS Fencing Novice Hurdle of €20,000 | 2 Miles 45 Yds | Hurdle |
| 19:40 | The Punchestown INH Flat Race of €20,000 | 2 Miles 2 Furlongs 181 Yds | Bumper |
DAY FIVE – Saturday 2 May – SBK Festival Finale
Festival Saturday is the ultimate wrap party for the Irish jump racing season. Festival goers of all ages travel from every corner of Ireland and beyond to celebrate the achievements of Irish jump racing. The racing fans of tomorrow are entertained in the Junior Jockey Club Fun Zone whilst the season champions are crowned in the winners enclosure.
*Please note the timings are subject to change.
| TIMES | RACE | DISTANCE | TYPE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14:30 | The HOWDEN Cross-Country Chase of €20,000 | 3 Miles 90 Yds | Cross-Country Chase |
| 15:05 | The Punchestown Handicap Chase of €75,000 | 3 Miles 7 Furlongs 68 Yds | Chase |
| 15:40 | The GR1 SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle of €125,000 | 2 Miles 4 Furlongs | Hurdle |
| 16:15 | The Palmerstown House Pat Taaffe Listed Handicap Chase of €75,000 | 3 Miles 104 Yds | Chase |
| 16:50 | The GR1 Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle of €125,000 | 2 Miles | Hurdle |
| 17:30 | The Lawlors of Naas Listed Handicap Hurdle of €100,000 | 2 Miles 4 Furlongs 118 Yds | Hurdle |
| 18:00 | The Sebden Steel Celebrating 30 Years In Business (Pro-Am) Flat Race of €20,000 | 2 Miles | Bumper |
| 18:35 | The Punchestown Kidney Research Fund Charity Race | 1 Mile 7 Furlongs | Charity Race |
