Punchestown Festival

The Punchestown Festival is one of the biggest horse racing events of the Irish jumps season and is usually held in April each year. Starting on a Tuesday and spanning five days, the meeting  plays host to some of the best jumps racing all year, with no less than 11 Grade 1 races taking place over the five days. It is seen by many as the Irish equivalent of the Cheltenham Festival, and follows a similar format.

Some of the major races during the week include the Champion Chase, Champion Hurdle, World Series Hurdle and the Punchestown Gold Cup. The Punchestown Festival symbolises the end of the Irish jumps season, and has always played an integral part in the trainers’ championship in recent years.

Punchestown Festival Top Trainer

Willie Mullins – leading trainer 15 times

Punchestown Festival Top Jockey

Davy Russell – leading jockey 13 times

Willie Mullins saddled an outstanding 18 winners at the 2018 Punchestown Festival

Punchestown Festival Notable Races

There are no fewer than 11 Grade 1 races which take place over the five-day Punchestown Festival. As well as top-class racing, there are also a number of competitive big-field handicaps each day.

Champion Chase - A Grade 1 over two miles open to horses aged five and older.

Gold Cup – A Grade 1 over three miles and half a furlong open to horses aged five and older.

Champion Stayers Hurdle – A Grade 1 over three miles open to horses aged four and older.

Champion Hurdle – A Grade 1 over two miles open to horses aged four and older.

Mares’ Champion Hurdle – A Grade 1 over two and a half miles open to fillies’ and mares aged four and older.

Four Year Old Hurdle – A Grade 1 over two miles open to four-year-olds.

Davy Russell was crowned the leading jockey at the 2018 Punchestown Festival

Punchestown Festival Betting

There is massive interest in betting on the Punchestown Festival both with the online and betting shop bookies in the UK & Ireland. The Punchestown Festival is usually shown on attheraces, though as of January 2019, Racing UK will hold the rights to broadcast. Most Online bookies will have lots of promotional offers on, so you are advised to shop around before placing your bets.

Punchestown Festival Free Bets & Betting Offers

As with any big race, the top online bookies like Paddy Power and Betfair will have Punchestown Festival Free Bets and Punchestown Festival Betting Offers. Often the bookies will give you an enhanced price on one of the favourites, or they may offer a Bet Through The Card – get free bets when you bet on the first race of any day of the Punchestown Festival. Either way, we have you covered here with the best sign-up offer and betting specials for the Punchestown Festival.

Punchestown Festival Runners & Form

Timeform is your best bet for finding the winner at the Punchestown Festival. When the race card for each day of the Punchestown Festival is available over on our Races page, you will be able to find the latest form and insight on all of the Punchestown Festival runners from the team of expert tipsters at Timeform. Our Punchestown Festival runner-by-runner guides will be available on our website and on our mobile app. 

Punchestown Festival Tips

Want to know which horses the expert Timeform Tipsters are backing at the Punchestown Festival? You can get free tips for the Punchestown Festival either on the Timeform website or app. However you like to bet, Timeform has you covered with Punchestown Festival betting tips.  

Punchestown Festival Latest News, Odds & Results

Follow all the build up to the Punchestown Festival on the News pages at Timeform. Whether you are after the latest betting odds, market movers, going updates and non-runners, plus the latest from the stables of the top horses for the Punchestown Festival, you’ll find it right here. Simply want to know which horse was first past the post? Then go to our Results page to get the latest Punchestown Festival results.

Punchestown Gold Cup Past Winners – this Century

Punchestown Champion Hurdle Past Winners – this Century

Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle Past Winners – this Century