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RECORD €3.6 MILLION PRIZE FUND ANNOUNCED FOR 2026 PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL

Increase of €167,500 with minimum values now at €20,000.
Five Handicaps up from €50,000 to €75,000
Introduction of Matchbook 50:50 Graduation Bonus Series
Update on Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series
**  DOWNLOAD 2026 FESTIVAL RACING PROGRAMME **
 

Media Release: March  2026 – With just eight weeks to the upcoming Punchestown Festival the home of Irish jump racing today announced a record-breaking total prize fund of €3,600,000 for the 2026 renewal, taking place Tuesday 28th April to Saturday 2nd May.

This consecutive increase of funds marks the highest level of prize money in the Festival’s history. The increase further reinforces the racecourse of the year’s position as the premier Irish jump racing fixture and a seasonal target for the best of Irish and British racing.

The continuous growth in prize money is part of a long-term strategic plan to keep Punchestown ahead of the curve in an increasingly competitive Irish and UK racing calendar. By investing in record-level funds, the Festival rewards current participants, attracts future talent, and supports the wider racing and breeding industry.

The 2025 Festival highlighted the importance of this investment, with 19 different winning trainers and 30 winning owners, demonstrating the depth and competitiveness of the fields. Each season a concerted effort to focus on a particular category has benefited a cross-sector of races. In recent years, the mid-level handicap hurdlers benefited from the introduction of the €100,000 Albert Bartlett Final which has met and fulfilled the objective with syndicates and partnership’s enjoying their moment in the Punchestown Festival spotlight. This series has also greatly  assisted in restoring numbers of UK visitors with 66 overseas runners and eight UK trained winners in 2025.

The Matchbook 50:50 Graduation Bonus Series is set to add an exciting new dimension to the 2026 Punchestown Festival, with a remarkable bonus valued at €100,000 on offer. This initiative offers a €50,000 bonus to the first horse that wins a designated qualifier (12 in total) and subsequently is the first of those qualifiers to capture a Grade 1 at the 2026 Punchestown Festival. In addition, Matchbook will reward existing Matchbook users with €50,000 worth of free bets. Leading contenders to land the bonus include Leader D’allier, How’s Hannah, Koktail Brut & The Passing Wife.

Punchestown Racing Manager Richie Galway discussed the on-going strategy:  “Punchestown has always set the standard in offering some of the most competitive and rewarding racing in Ireland. With a record prize fund, we are reaffirming our commitment to excellence and ensuring the Festival continues to attract the very best horses, trainers, and owners from Ireland and the UK. We continue to work closely with the HRI team who support our shared aims with regard to improvements of Festival prize money and racing programme”

Key Prize Money Increases for 2026

Five €75,000 handicaps up from €50,000:

  • 2m Handicap Hurdle (150=11st 12lbs)– The Killashee Hotel (Tuesday)
  • 2m Handicap Chase (150=11st 12lbs)  – Frontline Security (Thursday)
  • 3m Handicap Hurdle (145= 11st 12lbs)– The Conway Piling (Thursday)
  • 3m Handicap Chase (0-150) – Palmerstown Pat Taaffe (Saturday)
  • 3m7f Handicap Chase (Rated 0-145)  (Saturday)
2026 Punchestown Festival Prize Fund Breakdown

The record prize fund ensures that the Punchestown Festival continues to reward excellence and whilst attracting the biggest names in jump racing, the programme provides opportunities for all disciplines and levels to have stage time  at the most prestigious jump racing festival in Ireland.

The 2026 Punchestown Festival takes place from Tuesday 28th April to Saturday 2nd May 2026. 12 Grade one races close on Wednesday 8th April with a further four races closing on 20th April.

*ENDS*

To the staff of Punchestown Racecourse,

On behalf of myself, my husband Jim, and our three children, George, Olivia and Grace, we would like to thank you most sincerely for sending us to Lapland last Saturday, the 13th of December.

George was the lucky boy from Two Mile House National School whose Golden Ticket was pulled from the hat at Punchestown Premiere Weekend. He won an all-expenses-paid day trip to Lapland in Finland. Having his name called felt like a Christmas miracle — a truly wonderful thing to happen to our family — and we were filled with excitement and gratitude from that moment on.

We were even excited for our 3.00am wake-up call on Saturday morning! I would describe the day as a Magical Marathon — 21 hours of constant movement, filled with truly magical moments.

We flew with TUI, who had chartered the flight to Kittilä in northern Finland. The flight lasted over three hours, and we disembarked into a very unfamiliar world. The temperature was -22°C. My nose hair froze as I breathed in, and the cold crept up the legs of my jeans — a dry cold unlike anything we experience in Ireland. It was dusky even at 1 o’clock local time. The trees were covered in snow, and the surroundings were quiet and beautiful. Santa’s elves were everywhere, spreading cheer and encouraging us along.

On arrival, we had to layer up to protect ourselves. We were warned that it was particularly cold, even by local standards — snowing and breezy — but the suits we were given worked a charm.

We got to meet Santa, and we asked him to help Punchestown win Racecourse of the Year. He said he would. We also told him how excited all the boys and girls from Punchestown and Two Mile House are for his visit next week and sent him their love.

Throughout the day we enjoyed so many incredible experiences: a reindeer ride, a husky sleigh, sledding down snow slopes, snowball fights with the elves, cookie decorating, warming up by cosy fires and even riding a snowmobile.

The day was made up of beautiful moments that will never be forgotten. The children loved every part of it — even the long flights, the tiredness & the cold.

Punchestown has played an important role in my family’s history. My grandmother and grandfather: Maura and Michael Burke, leased land in Punchestown from Mrs. Arthur Moore during the 1980s and 1990s.

As a Two Mile House girl, Punchestown has been a constant in my life from early childhood to the present day. When I was in primary school, we had three days off during the Punchestown Festival every year. My extended family and I loved Punchestown week and always attended at least one day. We would be given a pound by my grandmother and spend hours on the hurdy-gurdys going back and forth to our family.

I celebrated my hen party at Punchestown, and my husband and family attend the New Year’s Eve meeting every year.

Punchestown generously donated money to my brother, Adam Burke, in 2017, and I attended with him on the morning it was presented to him by Dick O’ Sullivan and Snowball Pearce. We celebrated his 30th birthday on Saturday of Premiere weekend in the private suites and were so well looked after by your staff.

My aunt Helen Smullen and cousins Ciara, Sinead and Eimear Smullen rode in the charity race at the Punchestown festival over a number of years.

The racecourse is interlinked with so many of our family traditions, and now we bring our own children to Punchestown annually as well.

Congratulations on winning Racecourse of the Year — it is so richly deserved. The racecourse is such an important part of many local people’s lives. It’s a happy place for us where we celebrate, be together and feel at home.

Thank you again for an experience our family will treasure forever.

With sincere thanks,

Kate Eustace & Family

The Punchestown Premiere Weekend

Saturday 22 &  Sunday 23 November

The Premiere Weekend is probably the biggest early season race meeting in Ireland with two days of top class racing featuring a grade one double header. On Saturday the Unibet Morgiana Hurdle will welcome the reigning and potential champion hurdlers. Sunday features the very prestigious Grade one John Durkan Memorial Chase whilst the supporting cast of listed, graded and cross country racing runs across the weekend. Throw in great bars, live music, free kids stuff, tasty food and free bus to Naas and your weekend is sorted.

TIMES  

TICKETS – BOOK HERE

TRANSPORT:  

Free Naas Shuttle Bus Service

Return Dublin City Service

 

FOOD & FACILITIES 

Dress up or dress down.

Make it special and pre-book our famous Race & Dine packages with truly delicious seasonal food and fantastic views of the action.

Keep it casual and enjoy tasty dishes in The Feedroom, Hay cafe or food trucks with a really good selection of hot or cold dishes and snacks along with great home bakes and great coffee. No booking necessary.

There are no enclosures at Punchestown. You can enjoy all the facilities except the private hospitality areas. We have great bars, cafes and plenty of seating and screens.

 

FAMILY FRIENDLY WEEKEND 

MUSIC, SHOPPING & MORE