Mullins States case for his Man as Constitution Hill and Golden Ace threaten Boodles Champion Hurdle three-in-a-row bid

“Bring them on!” is the defiant message from Patrick Mullins after the declarations for Friday’s blockbuster BOODLES CHAMPION HURDLE on the penultimate day of the sun-kissed Punchestown Festival were made this morning.

Huge crowds are anticipated at Ireland’s home of jumps racing to watch the clash between State Man and Constitution Hill at the season-ending carnival, with Jeremy Scott doubling the British raiding party by saddling Cheltenham’s Champion Hurdle victor, Golden Ace.
The mare capitalised as State Man took a crunching fall at the last when seemingly on the cusp of making it back-to-back triumphs in the championship race for two-mile hurdlers.

That was the first time the Marie Donnelly-owned jumper had lined up alongside Constitution Hill but the 2023 Cheltenham Champion Hurdle victor, trained by Punchestown regular Nicky Henderson, came a cropper even earlier four from home.

Michael Buckley’s star also fell in the Aintree Hurdle but has satisfied the team at Seven Barrows sufficiently after a strong piece of work and schooling over fences to make his Punchestown bow. The Mullins camp have long considered their chief representative to have been unfairly under-appreciated, despite being an 11-time Grade 1 winner and enjoyed success twice at Cheltenham.

Indeed, the eight-year-old son of Doctor Dino is attempting a third straight triumph in the Boodles Champion Hurdle and a fourth consecutive victory at the Punchestown Festival, as he registered a facile success in the Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle on this same day in 2022.

Should he be victorious, State Man would be emulating another Mullins-trained legend, Hurricane Fly, who completed the three-in-a-row in 2012 and went on to make it four 12 months later.

In all, State Man has won five times at the track, having scored in the Morgiana Hurdle twice before his three-in-a-row bid was scuppered by Brighterdaysahead last November, his first and only reverse at the venue.
However, Willie Mullins’ son and assistant is optimistic about what will unfold in two days’ time, reporting State Man to have shown no ill effects whatsoever from his shuddering fall.

“State Man was unlucky and lucky at Cheltenham,” says Patrick Mullins. “It was an awful fall. It was great that he got up. He seemed a 100% afterwards. It doesn’t seem to have knocked his confidence at all so it’s going to be fascinating to see the two English horses come over and take him on, on home soil.
“I think he was well in the process of redeeming his reputation at Cheltenham and I would be expecting him to redeem it even further at Punchestown so bring it on!”
Six runners have been declared with County Hurdle winner Kargese also representing the Mullins team and owner Kenny Alexander, who won the race with Honeysuckle in 2021 and 2022.

Break My Soul and Bottler’secret give trainers Ian Donoghue and Aidan Melia a tilt at some major prize money in the €300,000 feature, with €6,000 guaranteed to the sixth-place finisher.
Final Demand is part of a team of three from Closutton looking to follow State Man as a winner of the day’s other Grade 1, the preceding ALANNA HOMES CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE.

The Yellow Clay, who finished just ahead when the strapping gelding was third to The New Lion in the Turners Novice Hurdle at Cheltenham, returns for another battle and the Bective Stud-owned novice prepped by Gordon Elliott is sure to be difficult to overhaul.
A new strategy will be deployed in an attempt to bring about a different result for the impressive Dublin Racing Festival winner.
“Final Demand came off third best in a fantastic three-way tussle at Cheltenham but I think he would have learned a lot there and we will stick with the intermediate trip for Punchestown and take on The Yellow Clay again,” says Mullins Jnr.

“I think maybe we will change tactics slightly and hopefully that will bring about a different result.”
The JP McManus-owned Lovely Hurling is thrown in at the deep end by Colm Murphy, having run only once since winning a Wexford bumper 11 months ago, albeit while scoring impressively on in a Naas maiden hurdle in February.

Harry Derham, who got on the board for the first time at the festival with Ascending Lark yesterday, has declared Queensbury Boy, who will be ridden by his popular owner David Maxwell, while Fergal O’Brien’s Tripoli Flyer will have Johnny Burke in the plate as he bids to provide the Gloucestershire-based Tipperary native with his first triumph at the meeting.

A glorious start to the Punchestown Festival!

Almost 18,000 attendees enjoyed a glorious start to the opening leg of the five-day festival at Punchestown Racecourse. The great and the good of National Hunt Racing from both sides of the Irish sea went head-to-head on the track, while social racegoers basked in the glorious sunshine and soaked up the electric atmosphere.

The feature race on the card, the William Hill Champion Steeplechase (Grade 1) worth €300,000 did not disappoint with Marine Nationale, owned and trained by Barry Connell and ridden by Sean Flanagan, following up Cheltenham success at the Kildare venue. An emotional Barry Connell commenting “This is a great success for all the team and for Kildare. This is the horse of a lifetime. I am coming to Punchestown since I was his age with my father, (grandson Jack Connell) and this is a very special day for all my family, there will be cake later Jack!”

An exciting seven race card featuring no less than 3 grade ones, the Bollinger Best Dressed Competition and a whole new festival layout, ensured the opening day gave punters a great taste of what’s in store for the rest of the week at the County Kildare Venue.

Genevieve Ryan from Roscommon enjoyed a superb first visit to the Punchestown Festival when she was chosen as the daily winner of the Bollinger Best Dressed Competition. Having really embraced the theme of the competition and shopped her own wardrobe first, Genevieve wowed the judges and attendees with her impeccable style and the story of how she curated her unique twist on the classic monochrome look.

Head judge Jess Colivet commented “Within 10 mins of arriving in the gate, she was clearly the one to beat! A perfect blend of sophistication and elegance, showcasing how a keen sense of fashion and attention to detail teamed with a sustainable ethos will always be a winner in the Bollinger style stakes at Punchestown!”

The shirt, a versatile piece purchased three years ago from MacBees in Killarney, recently underwent a facelift when Genevieve cleverly swapped the old buttons for new ones to refresh her look.

Her polka dot skirt was a recent purchase from Coosy worked so well with her Jimmy Choo shoes, a Depop bargain she nabbed online for €180. The real wow factor was her hat, a handmade with love at home piece finished with her 3 year old daughter’s favourite teddy’s bow. She accessorised perfectly with rings from Chupi, earrings from Faizie Maizie and her cloud bag by Aoife

Mullane was another Depop purchase.

The attendance was up on the opening day of the festival again this year with 17,842 in comparison to 16,361 in 2024 and 14,937 in 2023.

The first race tomorrow (Wednesday) goes to post at 2.30pm the feature being the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup at 5.30pm. For more information and updates on the Punchestown Festival visit www.punchestown.com.

ENDS.

Mullins off the mark with first Grade 1 as British take two races early on

Newly minted British champion trainer, Willie Mullins secured the first Grade 1 of the Punchestown Festival but not for the first time, it wasn’t with the expected horse, as Irancy benefited from a peach of a ride by Mark Walsh to score in the KPMG CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE at 18/1. The seven-year-old led home a Mullins 1-2-3-4.
Although a winner at Grade 2 level in Fairyhouse subsequently, Irancy had been more than 32 lengths behind stablemate Kopek Des Bordes in the Supreme Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham and 14 in arrears of another Closutton representative, Salvator Mundi, who subsequently delivered at Grade 1 level in Aintree.
Walsh opted not to get involved as the market leaders set strong early fractions. The signals from the 30/100 favourite, Kopek Des Bordes were not positive from the outset even with that suitable strong pace, as he made a number of mistakes under Paul Townend and his race was run after another at the penultimate obstacle.
In stark contrast, Walsh was sitting pretty, having asked Irancy to close the gap and a brilliant jump at the last put the affair to bed, as the gelding cantered to a nine-length triumph over Salvator Mundi, who had Patrick Mullins doing the steering, with Karbau and Danny Mullins in third and Kopek Des Bordes fourth.

“Irancy has always been a good horse and met with a setback after winning here earlier in the season, but it might have been the best thing to have happened as he came here fresh,” said Mullins.
“I gave Kopek Des Bordes a nice break after Cheltenham and probably gave him too much and should have brought him to somewhere like Ayr or Perth.
“Looking at him in the parade ring I thought he was carrying too much condition and that showed in today’s pace.”
“Fair play to Willie for getting this lad to the track because he is a seven-year-old and he has had a lot of problems,” said Walsh. “Luckily this year everything has gone right for him and he deserved that big race today.

“Once we jumped the third hurdle at the top of the hill, the two lads were gone on me and I couldn’t go any quicker, so I didn’t force this fella.
“He didn’t come down the hill in Cheltenham great so I just held him together going down the hill here in Punchestown and just let him go his own comfortable stride. I wasn’t chasing them. Luckily enough, they came back to me going to the second last.”
There was a strong British tinge to the opening of the Punchestown Festival, with the second and third races headed for export.
Ascending Lark went off at an attractive 8/1 in the Listed Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle despite having won her previous five races for the red-hot team of trainer Harry Derham and his Mitchelstown-born jockey, Paul O’Brien and going to post with only 10-6 on her back.
Derham revealed afterwards that it took him quite a while to get a handle on the Great Pretender mare after he acquired her from Tipperary trainer, Liz Lalor, but patience proved a virtue.
““There is not many that win six never mind six in a row,” said Derham, who was saddling his first winner at the Punchestown Festival but had memorably overseen Clan Des Obeaux’s Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup triumph in 2021 when assistant to his uncle, Paul Nicholls.
“We didn’t plan on being that far back but she’s a good horse. He said he was going to ride her to come home and come home she has. Will (Watt) gave John (Lalor) half of her as a wedding present so it was quite the gift!

“A couple of times last year I was on the verge of retiring her. I couldn’t get her right… but her owners were very patient and thank God they were as she’s some mare.”
The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final Handicap Hurdle was won by an English trainer in its inaugural running 12 months ago, when Tom Lacey’s Tune In A Box scored to delirious celebrations.
And there were similar scenes this time around when Scottish conditioner, Mike Smith legged his teenage son Ben up on Buy Some Time to score at 50/1.
Smith, who has known the sponsor, Ronnie Bartlett since their riding days, revealed that he had targeted this €100,000 contest for some time.
“Ben had to torture himself to get down to do the weight and he was spot on,” said Smith. “Is there anything better than a day like today at the Punchestown Festival and your son winning like that. It doesn’t come any better than that.
“I used to ride in point-to-points against Ronnie years ago. We had some fun doing it and there are some stories to tell.
“When he jumped the second last I thought we can finish in the first four and then he just galloped away.
“They all tell you that you can’t beat the Irish and Willie (Mullins)comes over and beats us all, but it doesn’t always happen that way. You have to be brave to take the risk and throw the darts!”
Taghmon owner/trainer, Richie O’Keeffe showed that it isn’t only Mullins that can lead the opposition a merry dance as he produced the first two home in the historic Kildare Hunt Club Chase for the Ladies Cup, with Transprint (22/1) coming late under a vigorous drive from Tony Doyle to deny Turnupdevolume and Cheltenham Festival-winning pilot, Barry Stone.

Marine Nationale did not go off favourite despite winning the Cheltenham Champion Chase but the doubters were silenced as Barry Connell’s pride and joy cantered to a seven-length triumph over the gutsy Captain Guinness in the feature of Punchestown Festival’s opening day, the WILLIAM HILL CHAMPION CHASE.
Willie Mullins had secured the first two Grade 1 contests on the programme and his Ryanair Chase winner, Fact To File was sent off the 11/10 favourite to complete the full deck stepping back to two miles.

The eight-year-old found the going too hot, however, and was struggling to when the taps were turned on between the fourth- and third-last fences.
At that juncture, the eye was drawn to Paul Townend and El Fabiolo, who loomed outside the pace-setting former Champion Chaser, Captain Guinness and Solness, with Sean Flanagan nudging Marine Nationale into position having been found temporarily in a pocket.

Once with space to move into, Flanagan returned to motionless setting approaching the second-last, while Townend started to squeeze, albeit only slightly. Not for the first time in his career, however, El Fabiolo paid scant regard to an obstacle, ploughing through it and dumping his helpless pilot to the turf
From there, it was bar a fall and that never looked likely, the margin stretching to easy seven lengths at the lollipop.

“I felt that the horse had improved from every run and improved again from Cheltenham and we were proved right,” said an exultant Connell, who is a rarity, if not unique at this level as an owner and trainer.
“He won doing a half-speed and I think this horse has all the attributes to be a multiple Champion Chase winner going forward.
“Our target is to win three (at Cheltenham) and equal Badsworth Boy, who is the only horse in history to win three Champion Chases despite all the storied horses over the years.
“He’s only eight. That’s his 12th run. No mileage on the clock so he can go back next year, nine and ten, and he grows an extra leg at Cheltenham. He’s just so laidback, goes through the gears, does enough, doesn’t burn any extra petrol than what he needs.
“It’s fantastic as he is the most wonderful creature. Everybody in the yard has had a huge part to play in this. Garret (Cotter) rides him every day and looks after him… it’s a great success story for Kildare. We’re thrilled. We’ve a small little yard (in , we’ve only 13, 14 horses riding out and we’re able to punch at the highest level if we get the ammunition and this is the horse of a lifetime.”
Flanagan was equally overjoyed and unsurprised.
“I felt coming into it he was a bit of an underdog, not an underdog, but he wasn’t talked about,” the jockey observed. “All the talk was Fact To File. He’s done what I was feeling. I actually probably got a better feel off him at Leopardstown at the Dublin Racing Festival than I did at Cheltenham. I got there a little bit soon at Cheltenham and he idled a bit up the hill. He’s done that very well there.
“I had a little bit of a moment. JJ (Slevin, on Solness) and Rachael (Blackmore, on Captain Guinness) are two very solid riders and I was behind them turning into the straight and I said, ‘I’m going to struggle to get out of here.’ For a brief second I half-thought about edging out but I said no, I’d bide my time, I’d plenty of horse. I could see Paul making a move and I waited until we came into the straight and started edging out. I was confident enough that we would win.
“Barry holds the horse in such high regard. As he says, he’s the horse of a lifetime. I’ve ridden a lot of horses through the years and I’ve never ridden anything like him.
“I’ve said several times before, I’m riding 20 years and people say, ‘Why do you still get out of bed and go every day,’ and that’s why. You’re looking for one, just one like him, and I think we’ve found one!”

Having landed an apparently unconsidered outsider to score in the day’s first Grade 1 with 18/1 shot Irancy in the KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle, champion trainer, Mullins landed the second, the DOOLEY INSURANCE CHAMPION NOVICE CHASE with Champ Kiely, who went off at 22/1 but upset 11/8 favourite and stablemate, Ballyburn by six and a half lengths.
It was an incident-packed contest, with three other Mullins competitors coming a cropper along the way.
The most disappointing was the fall of Lecky Watson, the Brown Advisory winner at Cheltenham, who brought down the strongly fancied Impaire Et Passe, coming into the race off a very impressive triumph at this level at Aintree.

Ile Atlantique also fell but thankfully, all three horses and riders appeared none the worse for wear afterwards.
Townend sent Ballyburn to take it up from Polly Gundry’s Don’t Rightly Know and Harry Cobden heading out on the final circuit but Danny Mullins in the Mags Masterson colours moved on his outside turning for home and the writing was on the wall for favourite backers.
All that was needed was a safe leap at the last and he got it, before galloping to the line.

Danny, who time and again has delivered Grade 1 winners for his uncle, most recently with Il Etait Temps at Sandown on Saturday to confirm the annexation of a second straight British trainers’ championship, hailed the maestro for turning Champ Kiely around quickly, after finishing third in the WillowWarm Gold Cup nine days ago.
“He never really attacked when the loose horse upset him in Fairyhouse last week,” he reported. “But in fairness to Willie, he wasn’t afraid to come back here. Knew the variable was stepping up five furlongs in trip and there was every chance he’d go and do that.

“I knew Paul was the horse to beat. The Gigginstown one (Stellar Story) was going to play a part but we got the better of him off the bend and he is a good horse to put it to bed nicely. For me, I’m just so lucky to be part of the team in Willie’s. I’m just blessed to be on the team and get to ride some of the good ones on these days
Mullins made it three big-priced winners in a row when Ruth Dudfield steered Wonderful Everyday to secure the Goffs Defender Bumper at 16/1 with Stephen Connor guiding the Stuart Crawford-trained Green Hint to second.

The day’s concluding race, the Willie Coonan Memorial INH Flat Race went to the Gavin Cromwell-trained debutant Bud Fox. Ridden by the relentless Derek O’Connor, who had steered him to victory in a maiden point-to-point at his local Bellharbour venue in February, the four-year-old could be picked out among a group of horses in contention before they hit the home straight.
He stayed on soundly to win by four and a quarter lengths from Celestial Tune, who is trained by Tom Cooper and was ridden by Barry Stone, a Cheltenham winner in March, who was settling for the silver medal position for the second time in the day, having been just denied in the opening Kildare Hunt Club Chase for the Ladies Cup.
The attendance on the opening day of the Punchestown Festival was 17,842, up from 16,361 in 2024.

Galopin Des Champs faces select but talented opposition in bid to

finally add LADBROKES PUNCHESTOWN GOLD CUP to CV

Jasmin De Vaux and Bambino Fever to attempt festival doubles

Galopin Des Champs is reported to have come out of his Cheltenham exertions well and faces a select but talented group of three as he attempts to win the LADBROKES PUNCHESTOWN GOLD CUP for the first time on Wednesday.
It is the only blank on the CV of Audrey Turley’s heroic nine-year-old, who was second in the Cheltenham Gold Cup when bidding to join the all-time greats of jump racing with a third straight triumph.

He is a previous winner at the Punchestown Festival however, with two of his 11 Grade 1s having come in the famed Kildare amphitheatre.
With the horse that denied him his Cheltenham/Punchestown double bids, Fastorslow, ruled out for the season by injury before Christmas, and his Cotswolds nemesis, Inothewayurthinkin on holidays, it looks like Spillane’s Tower, who finished ahead of him in second in the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown in November, could be his most serious rival.
The Jimmy Mangan-trained seven-year-old is a fresh horse having missed Cheltenham and Aintree, and will be ridden by Mark Walsh, who took the scalp of Galopin Des Champs at Cheltenham.
Monty’s Star, who was just touched off by Spillane’s Tower in the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase 12 months ago, was fourth in the March blue riband and resumes rivalries for Henry de Bromhead, with Rachael Blackmore in the plate.

The field is completed by the Joseph O’Brien-trained Banbridge, who was ridden by Galopin Des Champs’ rider Paul Townend to score in the King George VI Chase on St Stephen’s Day. Regular partner, JJ Slevin, who produced Ronnie Bartlett’s gelding for a last-gasp triumph in the William Hill Champion Chase last year, completes the high-class field.
“Galopin Des Champs knew he had a race after Cheltenham but has had plenty of time to recover and seems back to himself now,” said Patrick Mullins, assistant trainer to his father Willie, the newly minted two-in-a-row British champion trainer, who will bring his tally of Irish championships to 19 on Saturday.
“Obviously, he’s trying to break his Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup hoodoo but there’s not Fastorslow there this year so hopefully he can finish out his season in style. But regardless, it’s been an incredible season for him and we are already looking forward to next year.”
For the second year in a row, Jasmin De Vaux comes to Punchestown attempting a double, having scored in the Albert Bartlett at Cheltenham. He is joined in the CHANNOR REAL ESTATE GROUP NOVICE HURDLE by Closutton stablemates Argento Boy, Luckinthecity and Jarrive De Mee, while the Gordon Elliott-trained Aintree Grade 1 winner, Honesty Policy is included in the field of eight.

“Jasmin De Vaux finally put it all together over hurdles in the Albert Bartlett and I thought Paul was magnificent on him but it will be a very different test here,” said Mullins Jnr. “There’s going to be a lot more jumping. It’s going to be a lot tighter and sharper than the New Course at Cheltenham.
“Obviously, he disappointed in Punchestown last year so there’s a few question marks but he seems in great form and we’re hoping he can follow up.
“We’ve got a few others in there but I think Jarrive De Mee could run very well. I think stepping up to three miles will really suit him, being a point-to-point winner by Authorized and I think going right-handed and the nice ground will suit him too. He’s a horse that is fresh and well and could well run into a place.”

The Grand National winner will ride Copocabana in the RACE & STAY AT PUNCHESTOWN CHAMPION INH FLAT RACE, as he did at Cheltenham when they could only finish tenth, with the Jody Townend-Bambino Fever tandem that prevailed at Prestbury Park in March being retained for the seven-strong contest.
The Noel Meade-trained Colcannon could lay down a strong challenge having stayed at home since scoring at Leopardstown’s Dublin Racing Festival in February, but Bambino Fever will be favoured to join an elite group.

“Bambino Fever came out of Cheltenham in great form,” said Mullins. “She put in two huge performances at DRF and Cheltenham so hopefully she can follow in the footsteps of Facile Vega, Champagne Fever and Cousin Vinny, who all followed up at Punchestown. She is most definitely the one to beat.
“Copacabana was a little disappointing at Cheltenham but it was probably not a race ran to suit and I would be expecting a much improved showing from him on Wednesday.”

The 2025 Punchestown Festival Five Day Celebration Gets Underway Tuesday 29 April

MEDIA RELEASE – 28th April 2025 – The grand finale of an unforgettable jump racing season takes centre stage as the 2025 Punchestown Festival kicks off Tuesday 29th April and runs until Saturday 3rd May at the iconic Punchestown Racecourse, Co. Kildare.

Organisers are anticipating over 100,000 visitors across five spectacular days, with festival fans traveling from across Ireland, the UK, Italy, United States and even Australia to be part of this world-class celebration of sport and culture at the home of Irish jump racing.

Racing Ahead with Thrilling Clashes and Visiting Raiders

Across 40 races, featuring 12 Grade 1 contests and €3.5 million in prize money, the Punchestown Festival once again delivers the very best in jump racing. All indications are that major showdowns are guaranteed with old rivals, young pretenders and redemption missions on the cards. The opening day features a massive clash between Cheltenham heroes Marine Nationale and J.P. McManus’s Fact To File. The Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup will see superstar Galopin Des Champs take on a challenge from the impressive Spillane’s Tower whilst Friday’s Boodles Champion Hurdle is being billed as the race of the season with Constitution Hill confirmed to meet State Man and Golden Ace amongst others.

Headlining the action is an incredible line-up of training and riding talent including the unstoppable Irish and recently crowned British champion trainer Willie Mullins along with his son, Grand National winning rider Patrick Mullins, champion jockey elect Paul Townend, top trainers Gordon Elliott and Henry de Bromhead, Cheltenham Gold Cup winning trainer Gavin Cromwell and the ever popular Rachael Blackmore among those in action.

What is particularly evident at entry stage is the significant increase in UK trained runners at the festival with numbers returning to the heights last seen in 2008. Festival friends and regulars Nicky Henderson, Paul Nicholls, Jonjo O’Neill, Harry Derham and Anthony Honeyball are joined by new names and faces to sustain the visitor involvement for the future. The UK contribution is integral to the festival as it not only generates vastly increased interest and TV viewer numbers from across the Irish sea but also each horse running brings with them owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms and associated entourages that require accommodation, hospitality and entertainment in the locality. Over 20% of the festival attendance hail from outside of Ireland so the event is a major contributor to the Kildare tourism numbers and campaign.

The track team have prepared, mowed, aerated, fed and watered over 170 acres of racing ground or the equivalent of around 42 Croke Park pitches. The main team of five men have crafted 330 metres of hand filled steeplechase fence, 180 sections of handmade hurdles and erected just under 10 kilometres of white racing rail all to provide what is essentially a fresh race track each of the five days

New For Punchestown 25

In 2025, the Punchestown team rolls out four key innovations based on customer feedback and trial runs:
• Earlier start times of 2.30pm have been rolled out across the week with the exception of Friday that remains at 3.40pm.
• The revamped Festival layout and entertainment programme, removing reserved enclosure barriers and improving flow, was very well received in 2024 so this along with further enhancements and improvements are in place for 2025.
• Ticket Price Freeze: Prices were reduced last year with discounts for those that book in advance of festival week. Generous concessions remain for senior, student and family (Saturday) and free entry for children under 14 throughout the week.
• Friday Remote Drop & Collect Bus Service to address the changes in transport habits, Naas racecourse and Killashee Hotel are the two off-site drop and collect points on Festival Friday. From 12 noon. Free out and €5 cash back. Full transport services available on www.punchestown.com

Festival Social Scene

Like all great celebrations the Punchestown party will feature great live music throughout the enclosures with Spring Break playing floor fillers for the first three days and exciting new DJ performances planned for Friday and Saturday evenings.

17,000 hospitality guests from 806 companies (including 164 from the UK) will enjoy delicious seasonal menus crafted by a 68-strong team of chefs, supported by over 760 hospitality staff. Three and a half tonnes of fresh vegetables, 60 kilos of artisan cheeses, and 15,000 exquisite canapés and desserts will be served across the five days. A team of almost 300 bar staff will pour an estimated 132,000 pints, measure 20,000 shorts and fill 8,000 champagne glasses.

Style lovers will once again flock to the Bollinger Best Dressed Competition, open to all, taking place over the first four days and culminating in the grand final on Ladies Day, Friday 2nd May. Fresh for 2025 is the sustainable theme of Something Old/Something New focusing on conscious fashion choices. New to the Style Council judges are multi-award winning sustainable designer Aoife McNamara and acclaimed stylist Isabel Gleeson.

Further additions include the Bollinger Concierge marquee where Kildare-based beauty brand Ayu will have a host of professional make-up artists offering make-up top-up and professional advice. Vision Ireland will have specially curated rails of pre-loved designer garments to showcase just how stylish sustainable fashion can be.

People Make Punchestown – Community & Charity

Beyond the track, Punchestown plays a vital role in the local community where the Festival contributes over €60 million annually. What is considered the most important race of the festival because it makes the biggest difference is the Punchestown Kidney Research Fund Charity race and in it’s 34th year of running is on target to break the €2,000,000 fundraising mark.

At the centre of the festival is community and at the centre of community is family and the GAA. We are delighted to continue our great association with Naas, Eadestown and Ballymore Eustace GAA clubs who steward the track, fences, hurdles, and horse crossing areas throughout the site in return for club funding.

In a landmark collaboration, Punchestown Racecourse, Aramark, Ireland’s leading food services provider and St. Kevin’s Community College in Dunlavin have joined forces to launch Elevate 2025 – a pioneering Transition Year (TY) programme that combines community involvement, real-world skills training, and local pride. Following a five week training programme, 70 St. Kevins College transition year students will be employed by Aramark for paid work experience at the upcoming Punchestown Festival.

Each year a number of national charities are joined by local schools in the official bucket collection campaign. This year we are proud to welcome Down Syndrome Ireland, St. Corban’s National School, St. Brigid’s Hospice and The Samaratin’s and wish them the very best in their fund raising endeavours.

Punchestown CEO Conor O’Neill said:

“There is something really special about the buzz ahead of this year’s Punchestown Festival. It’s even more than the brilliant achievements by our horses, jockeys, owners and trainers throughout the season. It’s the local and national enthusiasm and pride that are reflected not only in bookings and sales but in requests for information, signage, enquiries about how they get involved. People Make Punchestown and there is a great appetite and goodwill for the event this year even more than previous. Combine this with a forecast that we can only wish for and we are in for a magic week. See you at Punchestown!”

The 2025 Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday 29th April to Saturday 3rd May at Punchestown Racecourse. Tickets and full information available at www.punchestown.com.

ENDS

DAR Golf Construction Announced as Official Sponsor at Punchestown Festival

• Widening of the finishing straight by approx. 35 metres
• Drainage system includes 27,000 linear metes of sand slits, 3,500meters of piped drainage and 1,500meters of main carrier drains
• Repositioning and increased capacity to the water reservoir in front of the Grandstand
• Improve and grade the bend into the straight (not impacting on existing racing ground)
• Installation of a service road on the inside of the newly widened finishing straight
• Upgrade to the track crossing after the finishing line
• 80,000 tonnes of subsoil have been moved to facilitate the widening of the finishing straight (this ground has been raised by approx. 4 meters in places)
• 27,000sq meters of new track racing surface merged to the existing finishing straight
• Completion and lining of a new water reservoir (capacity will increase from 9,000m3 to 12,500m3)

• Phase 2: Blackhills Extension: A 650-metre extension at the Blackhills bend is underway, enabling greater flexibility in race distances and start locations while enhancing the overall racing programme.

Spillane’s Tower fresh for Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup test while Fact To File on target for clash with Cheltenham hero Marine Nationale in William Hill Champion Chase
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Robcour rematch between Bob Olinger and Teahupoo still on the cards in Ladbrokes Champion Stayers’ Hurdle
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Spillane’s Tower and Fact To File spearhead the JP McManus team on the opening three days of the Punchestown Festival, which gets under way next Tuesday, April 29th.
Entries for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are now confirmed, and the mouth-watering clash between Cheltenham Queen Mother hero, Marine Nationale and Ryanair Chase victor, Fact To File is still on the cards in the GRADE 1 WILLIAM HILL CHAMPION CHASE on the opening day.

Nine horses stand their ground, including last year’s Queen Mother winner, Captain Guinness, and Energumene, who scored in the Cheltenham two-mile championship contest in 2022 and 2023.
Energumene is also a three-time Grade 1 victor at the Punchestown Festival, and if lining up, will be pursuing his third William Hill Champion Chase¸ having doubled up in both his Cheltenham Festival-winning seasons before injury ruled him out of a Spring campaign last term.

Marine Nationale was a very comfortable winner of the Cheltenham Champion Chase this year for owner/trainer Barry Connell and the lightly-raced eight-year-old is the one they all have to beat this time round. However, Energumene’s Willie Mullins stablemate, Fact To File is an intriguing entrant for champion owner JP McManus. Racing manager, Frank Berry reports the Grade 1 John Durkan Chase winner at this venue to be tip-top shape but is fully aware of the calibre of opposition. “It’s the only entry he has there,” said Berry today. “I believe he’s in good form. It won’t be easy taking on the Champion Chase winner but we’re looking forward to seeing how he gets on. It will be very interesting.”  Dual Grade 1 winner, the Joseph O’Brien-trained Solness also stands his ground, as does another Closutton inmate, Gaelic Warrior.

Susannah Ricci’s five-time Grade 1 winner also holds an entry in Wednesday’s GRADE 1 LADBROKES PUNCHESTOWN GOLD CUP and would be a fascinating participant following his triumph on a first attempt at three miles over fences in the Aintree Bowl. He is a dual winner at Punchestown, including in the Grade 1 Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle, over the maximum trip at that level two years ago.

Yet another Closutton superstar, Galopin Des Champs has yet to add the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup to his illustrious CV and is among the octet still standing, having gone out on his shield when having his three-in-a-row Cheltenham Gold Cup bid foiled by the JP McManus-owned Inothewayurthinkin. The green and gold is likely to be represented in this high-class affair by Spillane’s Tower, who like Inothewayurthinkin, is bred by the owner’s wife Noreen. Spillane’s Tower sparked major celebrations when winning the Grade 1 Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase 12 months ago. After a cracker behind Fact To File in the John Durkan at Punchestown last November, the Walk In The Park seven-year-old disappointed in the King George VI Chase at Kempton on St Stephen’s Day and he hasn’t been seen in public since.

Trainer Jimmy Mangan revealed that they were ready to get saddled in Aintree when jockey Mark Walsh reported the ground to be too quick, meaning he was withdrawn, but it’s all systems go for a return to the gelding’s happy hunting ground.
“He’s in good order and that’s the plan to go there,” Berry confirms. “The rain will help and he’s a fresh horse going there. It’ll be a hot race but he’s in good form.”
There are 16 horses that could still face the starter in the GRADE 1 LADBROKES CHAMPION STAYERS’ HURDLE.

The Fergal O’Brien-trained Grade 1 winner Crambo would be a welcome visitor, Rocky’s Diamond ran a cracker at Cheltenham for Declan Queally and is sure to progress as a five-year-old, and Home By The Lee, who is conditioned by Joseph O’Brien, is always a threat in staying events. It is the prospective rematch between Cheltenham winner Bob Olinger (Henry de Bromhead) and his predecessor and this year’s runner-up Teahupoo (Gordon Elliott) that will make the headlines.

Robcour are very well stocked in this division and de Bromhead saddled Hiddenvalley Lake in the pink, white and black to score in the Liverpool Hurdle at Aintree. He remains in contention also.
In Tuesday’s other Grade 1s, Supreme Novices’ Hurdle winner, Kopek Des Bordes is the standout performer among the ten possibles at the five-day stage for the GRADE 1 KPMG CHAMPION NOVICE HURDLE. Aintree victor, Salvator Mundi is also left in the two-mile contest.

The pair are among a team of seven entered by Willie Mullins. Irancy, who scored at Grade 2 level at Fairyhouse after finishing seventh in Cheltenham, is among that cohort. He is one of two McManus runners still in contention, the other being the Colm Murphy-trained Naas maiden hurdle winner, Lovely Hurling.
“They’re both in good form,” Berry declared. “You’d love to be going there with another run in Lovely Hurling. He is also in the two and a half but they’re both intended runners so we’ll see in the next few days.”

Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase winner Lecky Watson looks likely to face top-flight opposition in the DOOLEY INSURANCE CHAMPION NOVICE CHASE. Ballyburn, Impaire Et Passe and Dancing City are among other Mullins-trained rivals he joins on the gallops during the week in the mix, while Henry de Bromhead pair Slade Steel and Gorgeous Tom, the Gordon Elliott-trained Brown Advisory runner-up Stellar Story and Ken Budds’ Jack Richards Novice Chase runner-up Anyway, are possible contestants.

There are 19 possible runners in the GRADE 1 CHANNOR REAL ESTATE GROUP NOVICE HURDLE. The Munir/Souede-owned Jasmin De Vaux is the one to beat having galloped to success in the Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle at Cheltenham, while The Yellow Clay would be of note if the Turners’ runner-up were to step up to three miles.
His Cullentra House compatriot, Honesty Policy scored at Grade 1 level in Aintree, at the intermediate trip, and holds multiple entries.
“He has a couple of entries, at three miles and two and a half,” Berry states. “It’s a bit up in the air about him but we’ll see what the weather is doing.”

Bambino Fever is another attempting a Cheltenham/Punchestown double in the GRADE 1 RACE & STAY AT PUNCHESTOWN INH FLAT RACE. Three horses have been taken out to leave a list of 19. Gameofinches and Copacabana are other Mullins horses apart from the favourite that could take their chances, along with Paddy Twomey’s Grade 2 Aintree winner, Seo Linn.
Majborough did remarkably well to get within three-quarters of a length of Jango Baie in the Arkle Chase at Cheltenham, after dreadful jumping errors at the last two obstacles, but Berry reports that there are no ill effects ahead of an intended tilt at Thursday’s other Grade 1, the GRADE 1 BARBERSTOWN CASTLE NOVICE CHASE.

“He’s on song for the two-mile novice chase,” says the McManus racing manager. “It was a little unfortunate at Cheltenham what happened but he still ran a good race and he was fine afterwards, not a bother on him. Willie is happy with him and he’ll go there all being well.”
There are ten horses still in contention, with Gavin Cromwell’s Arkle runner-up Only By Night, who finished just ahead of Majborough, another interesting contender with the mares’ 7lbs allowance. Impaire Et Passe (Willie Mullins) would be a threat after his two-and-a-half-mile victory at Aintree, while Rubaud (Paul Nicholls) and Brookie (Anthony Honeyball) could fly the British flag.

Lawlor’s of Naas Strengthen Historic Ties with Punchestown Upgrade

Punchestown Racecourse is proud to announce the expansion of its partnership with Lawlor’s of Naas, an establishment synonymous with race day hospitality. Building on a longstanding legacy spanning more than 112 years, Lawlor’s has elevated its support as sponsor of one of the most competitive races the week – the €100,000 Lawlor’s Of Naas Listed Handicap Hurdle on Festival Saturday, May 3rd.

Lawlors Hotel is a cornerstone in the hospitality aspect of the festival. With over 20% of the attendance travelling from the UK and beyond, where racegoers begin and end their Punchestown race day experience has become paramount. With a proven track record of excellence spanning back to 1913 when founder Bridget Lawlor was appointed official caterer at the racecourse the association between the two Kildare landmarks has been a positive one to say the least.

Racegoers and residents can expect excellent food and beverage offering both before and after racing each day with live entertainment each evening. The festival shuttle bus service departs opposite the hotel front door making it a very convenient choice.

Lawlor’s boasts an unbeatable location in the centre of Naas town and has grown to become a flagship Kildare hotel having undergone a multi-million euro redevelopment. Additions include Vi’s Restaurant and iconic round bar, a 360 person capacity ballroom, the Glending Suite for groups of up to 250, a decorative private garden, increased capacity to 138 bedrooms and a underground car park for 120 cars.

Dee Nix, General Manager at Lawlor’s of Naas, spoke to the importance of the moment:

“The Punchestown Festival is a flagship event on our calendar, and our connection with it is woven into our heritage. Enhancing our support is not just a milestone—it’s a celebration of shared values between Lawlors and Punchestown – excellence in hospitality, community, and tradition. We’re honoured to be part of something so special and look forward to welcoming friends old and new through the doors in a few days time.”

Janet Creighton, representing Punchestown Sponsorship, added: 

“The legacy between Lawlors and Punchestown is unique and long-standing, and this new level of support is a reflection of their commitment to this tradition. It is so important to us that visitors have as great a time outside the racecourse gates as they do inside. With Jack Tierney, Dee Nix, and the entire Lawlor’s team we know that they are in the best of care”

The 2025 Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday 29th April to Saturday 3rd May. Full event information and ticket sales available on www.punchestown.com

Marine Nationale “in super form” ahead of possible joust with Fact To File in mouth-watering William Hill Champion Chase

WILLIAM HILL CHAMPION CHASE
(Tuesday, April 29th – 13 entries)

The winners of the last four Queen Mother Champion Chases have been given the option of running in the William Hill Champion Chase, which looks like getting the Punchestown Festival off to a stupendous start.

Energumene (2022, 2023), Captain Guinness (2024) and the new kingpin, Marine Nationale are all included in a mouth-watering list. And if that wasn’t enough to get the juices flowing, Willie Mullins has included easy Ryanair Chase victor, Fact To File for what would be an intriguing look at the minimum trip after scoring so readily over 2m5f last March.

Fact To File won the John Durkan Memorial Chase at Punchestown over the intermediate trip in November but Marine Nationale is undoubtedly the one they all have to beat after his stunning exhibition of jumping and closing speed at Cheltenham.

“He’s great, in super form,” declares owner/trainer Barry Connell. “He came out of the race brilliant. He didn’t have much of a blow after the race. I think he was the easiest winner of the whole week and he’s come out of the race in super shape.

“He hasn’t had an over-taxing season really. We’ve been building up to the spring festivals so we’re looking forward to him going to Punchestown. Hopefully we get the usual nice spring ground, which will suit him well.

“The big thing with him was that he came into the season basically still a novice, lacking a lot of experience, and he was being pitched in against battle-hardened chasers and it’s a difficult thing to do, particularly in the two-mile division, where jumping accuracy is so important.

“He kicked off low-key in Naas. That was a big stepping stone. His two runs at Leopardstown were really good. He jumped well and as he usually does when he goes to Cheltenham, he comes alive, loves the place. It was all building towards getting the experience and fitness and everything came together at Cheltenham.

“His jumping was exemplary and it took him into the race without any great effort. And then the usual thing he does, when he jumps the last at Cheltenham, he just takes off.

“We couldn’t be happier with him now looking forward to Punchestown, and whatever turns up, we’ll be happy to take them on.”