Friday – Highlights ON & OFF the track on Ladies Day
1st May 2026
1st May 2026
Lossiemouth is crowned the Queen of Hurdling on Ladies Day at Punchestown!
Top Class Racing – Record Crowds – Sensational Style
The Boodles Champion Hurdle was won today by Lossiemouth, making it a career tally of 11 Grade 1’s for the popular grey mare, as she justified her short-priced favouritism in the hands of jockey Paul Townend for trainer Willie Mullins and proud owners Susannah and Rich Ricci.
The win completed an incredible Irish and English trio for jockey Paul Townend who won the Champion Chase, Gold Cup and Champion Hurdle in Ireland (Punchestown) and England (Cheltenham) this year with the English Grand National (Aintree) serving almost as the cheery on top in a tremendous season of all seasons for the Cork man.
Longford lass Oniesa Owen was crowned the 2026 Bolling Best Dressed at the Punchestown Festival. Wearing Italian label Ter et Bantine top and coat, teamed with Roisin Linnane trousers, Alaia shoes, a hat by Wendy Louise and a classic Chanel bag she wowed the judging panel led by head judge Jess Colivet and Bollinger representative Arthur Robert.
Another milestone today was jockey Mark Walsh recording his 900th career win at Punchestown. The Kildare native commented that he could not have wished for a better place to record his 900th winner as a jockey than Punchestown and at the Punchestown Festival.
43,572 attended the Punchestown Festival today compared with 42,138 on the corresponding day last year.
The Punchestown Festival continues tomorrow with the first race of an eight races commencing at 2.30pm. Typically, a very busy yet more casual race day experience, the festival finale is Family Day at the County Kildare venue. Offering top class racing, a jam-packed off track entertainment programme, the crowning of this seasons National Hunt Champions and the annual Punchestown Kidney Research Fund Charity Race, there is plenty to look forward to. All children under 14 go free when accompanied by an adult, for all details and tickets visit punchestown.com.
