Punchestown Festival 2025 - Course Guide, Betting Tips with Odds

punchestown-logo-a small-fox-above-the-word-punchestown

The Punchestown Festival is the culmination of the Irish National Hunt season as the best horses of the season converge on the Co Kildare venue for five days of top quality racing with more than €3m in prize money on offer and a dozen Grade 1 races to be contested.

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🎲 Punchestown Festival Ante-Post Betting Odds

The major Punchestown Festival betting sites have got ante-post markets available for an array of the biggest races across the five day of the meeting. Below you will find the latest odds on some of the key runners set to appear at Punchestown. When is Punchestown Festival 2025 you ask? The action starts on Tuesday April 29th and below we have some of the key runners in the feature races at the meeting.

1️⃣ Champion Chase Day Odds

Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
Fact To File
N/A
N/A
Marine Nationale
N/A
N/A
Banbridge
N/A
N/A
N/A
Solness
N/A
N/A
Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
Fact To File
N/A
N/A
Marine Nationale
N/A
N/A
Banbridge
N/A
N/A
N/A
Solness
N/A
N/A

⚠️Odds are subject to change. Please check before placing your bets.

2️⃣ Punchestown Gold Cup Odds

Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
Galopin Des Champs
N/A
Monty's Star
Gentlemans Game
N/A
Spillane's Tower
N/A
Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
Galopin Des Champs
N/A
Monty's Star
Gentlemans Game
N/A
Spillane's Tower
N/A

⚠️Odds are subject to change. Please check before placing your bets.

3️⃣ Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle Odds

Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
Teahupoo
Bob Olinger
Hiddenvalley Lake
Home By The Lee
N/A
Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
Teahupoo
Bob Olinger
Hiddenvalley Lake
Home By The Lee
N/A

⚠️Odds are subject to change. Please check before placing your bets.

4️⃣ Punchestown Champion Hurdle Odds

Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
State Man
N/A
Constitution Hill
N/A
Golden Ace
N/A
Brighterdaysahead
N/A
Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
State Man
N/A
Constitution Hill
N/A
Golden Ace
N/A
Brighterdaysahead
N/A

⚠️Odds are subject to change. Please check before placing your bets.

5️⃣ Mares Champion Hurdle Day Odds

Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
Lossiemouth
N/A
N/A
N/A
Brighterdaysahead
N/A
N/A
N/A
Kargese
N/A
N/A
N/A
July Flower
N/A
N/A
N/A
Horse
William-Hill-Sport-banner
LeoVegas-Sports-banner
Paripesa-sports-banner
Lossiemouth
N/A
N/A
N/A
Brighterdaysahead
N/A
N/A
N/A
Kargese
N/A
N/A
N/A
July Flower
N/A
N/A
N/A

⚠️Odds are subject to change. Please check before placing your bets.

💡 Punchestown Tips

It's going to be a cracking week of jumps racing in Ireland and below you will our Punchestown betting tips for some of key races at the meeting.

  • Marine Nationale to win William Hill Champion Chase:

    The Champion Chase is set to be a cracking duel between Queen Mother Champion Chase hero Marine National and Ryanair scorer Fact To File. The latter has a question to answer coming to this two-mile trip, while trainer Barry Connell believes Marine Nationale will be even better now than he was when winning by 19-lengths at Cheltenham last month.

  • State Man to win Boodles Champion Hurdle:

    There has to be a serious concern over whether Constitution Hill will even get on the boat to Ireland. If he goes, Nicky Henderson's star has major questions to answer after his falls at Cheltenham and Aintree. State Man crashed out in the Cotswolds too, of course, but he can rebound now. He was going to win the Champion Hurdle in stylish fashion before he took that final flight spill.

  • Spillane's Tower to win the Punchestown Gold Cup:

    The Gold Cup is the marquee race over the five days and many of Ireland's best betting sites will have Galopin Des Champs down as favourite despite a clear trend that suggests he is not as good at this track as he is elsewhere. Spillane's Tower finished in front of him in the John Durkan here at the start of the season and Jimmy Mangan's star has been kept fresh since Christmas, pending the optimal ground that the spring tends to bring. He can upstage Galopin Des Champs.

🔮 How Our Are Punchestown Tips Selected

Now that you have cast an eye on our Punchestown tips why not scroll through the selection criteria listed below and read more on how we read the formbook to make our picks.

  • Age:

    Age is not everything, but it can be a key trait in assessing the claims of National Hunt horses. Generally speaking, jumps horses hit their prime from age seven-to-nine. This is when they usually produce their peak form in open company.

  • Horse Form:

    Form is everything and understanding it is key before making a bet. Punchestown is the last of the major spring jumps festivals and so we have form with real depth to it, based on the big races at run at the likes of Leopardstown, Cheltenham and Aintree already. Studying those races is key.

  • Horse Weight:

    Alongside the major Grade 1 races, there are a host of valuable handicaps at Punchestown over the five days. Studying the allotted weights for these races is key when assessing the hopes of the contenders based on prior performances.

  • Class Ratings:

    Checking out a horse's previous performances is another key form trait. Are they rising in class or taking a drop in grade into a perceived easier race? Has the horse you fancy previously performed well in the class of race they are aimed at now, or will they be tackling a graded races for the first time? These are factors worth thinking about when assessing class ratings.

  • Distance:

    Races at Punchestown will be run over distances from two-miles to nearly four-miles, though generally most are run no further than three-and-a-quarter-miles. Assessing past performances at the distance of the race is a vital fact-finding mission for punters.

🏇 Punchestown Festival Predictions

Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle - Outright WinnerThe 2025 Punchestown Champion Stayers Hurdle will be run at Punchestown on the 1st of May, and this is who we think will go on to win:
Punchestown Gold Cup 2025 – Outright WinnerThe 2025 Punchestown Gold Cup will be run at Punchestown on the 30th of April, and this is who we think will go on to win:
Punchestown Champion Chase – Outright WinnerThe 2025 Punchestown Champion Chase will be run at Punchestown on the 29th of April, and this is who we think will go on to win:

⚡Punchestown Betting Sites

Punchestown is just around the corner as Ireland's very best National Hunt performers prepare to welcome some challengers from Britain to do battle for the richest prizes in Irish jumps racing. We've got a more info on some of the trusted betting options and free bet offers for punters ahead of the Punchestown Festival before you chose where to place your money.

William Hill

William-Hill-Sport-banner

William Hill has close to 100 years of experience as one of the leading influences on the UK betting market and is now firmly established in the Irish online space as one of the most trusted and recognisable firms. New customers can Bet €10 Get €40 in free bets at William Hill on sign-up and avail of the existing offers that including best odds guaranteed on all UK & Irish Racing and 'Top Price Guarantee' on the race 'win' market on all runners on selected races.

LeoVegas

LeoVegas-Sports-banner

LeoVegas is a multi-award-winning gaming site bursting with 5,000+ games, progressive jackpots and a solid sports betting platform that offers the latest odds on all major UK and Irish racing. New customers can Get €30 worth of Free Bets at LeoVegas when signing up with a minimum deposit of €10. The LeoVegas sportsbook supports various bet types, including top finish, each-way, forecast, tricast, and race specials making it an optimal choice for punters ahead of a major festival like Punchestown.

PariPesa

Paripesa-sports-banner

PariPesa is another growing presence in the online market for Irish bettors, offering odds on all the top sporting events including GAA, Soccer and Horse Racing with the Punchestown Festival sure to prove popular. The brand has a growing reputation amongst Irish punters and new customers can avail of a 100% first deposit bonus of up to 100 EUR at PariPesa to get started.

📊 Punchestown Festival Course Guide

Punchestown is widely viewed as the jewel in Ireland's jumps racing crown. Situated on the outskirts of Naas in Co Kildare, the track is around 35km southwest of Dublin and Punchestown's five-day Festival at the end of April each year attracts huge crowds, who swarm to the racecourse to experience action-packed racing and lively entertainment. The Festival is the major end of season attraction, featuring 12 Grade 1 races, while earlier in the season races like the John Durkan Memorial Chase and the Morgiana Hurdle are key stops in the calendar.

Punchestown is also famous for its cross-country races, as the famous banks and ditches in the wide-open expanses of the Kildare countryside are jumped in races like the La Touche Cup and the Ladies Cup. Punchestown is a right-handed, galloping, undulating track with a steady climb through the last five furlongs to the winning post. The fences on Punchestown's chase track are regarded as stiff but fair, offering a sound test of jumping ability. There are eleven fences to a circuit. The hurdles track is more undulating, and a downhill section just beyond the winning post is known to make life difficult. There are eight hurdles on the main hurdles course.

📆 Punchestown Festival Race Schedule

Day 1 – Tuesday – 29th April 2025

Time
Race
Distance
2.30pm
The Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase - Ladies Perpetual Cup
3m 1f
3.05pm
The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final
2m 4f
3.40pm
The Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Listed)
2m ½f
4.15pm
The KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle – Grade 1
2m ½f
4.50pm
The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase – Grade 1
3m
5.25pm
The Goffs Defender Bumper
2m ½f
6.00pm
William Hill Champion Chase – Grade 1
2m
6.35pm
The Willie Coonan Memorial Flat Race
2m ½f
Time
2.30pm
3.05pm
3.40pm
4.15pm
4.50pm
5.25pm
6.00pm
6.35pm
Race
The Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase - Ladies Perpetual Cup
The Albert Bartlett Triple Crown Series Final
The Killashee Hotel Handicap Hurdle (Listed)
The KPMG Champion Novice Hurdle – Grade 1
The Dooley Insurance Group Champion Novice Chase – Grade 1
The Goffs Defender Bumper
William Hill Champion Chase – Grade 1
The Willie Coonan Memorial Flat Race
Distance
3m 1f
2m 4f
2m ½f
2m ½f
3m
2m ½f
2m
2m ½f

Day 2 - Wednesday – 30th April 2025

Time
Race
Distance
2.30pm
The Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle
2m 3f
3.05pm
The Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final
2m 3f
3.40pm
The Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle
2m 4f
4.15pm
The Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle – Grade 1
3m
4.50pm
The Race And Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race – Grade 1
2m ½f
5.25pm
Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup
3m
6.00pm
Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase
2m 5f
6.35pm
Weatherbys GSB Irish EBF Mares Flat Race
2m
Time
2.30pm
3.05pm
3.40pm
4.15pm
4.50pm
5.25pm
6.00pm
6.35pm
Race
The Adare Manor Opportunity Series Final Handicap Hurdle
The Connolly's Red Mills Irish EBF Auction Hurdle Series Final
The Louis Fitzgerald Hotel Hurdle
The Channor Real Estate Group Novice Hurdle – Grade 1
The Race And Stay At Punchestown Champion I.N.H. Flat Race – Grade 1
Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup
Colm Quinn BMW Handicap Chase
Weatherbys GSB Irish EBF Mares Flat Race
Distance
2m 3f
2m 3f
2m 4f
3m
2m ½f
3m
2m 5f
2m

Day 3 - Thursday – 1st May 2025

Time
Race
Distance
2.30pm
The Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle
2m
3.05pm
The Close Brothers Listed Mares Novice Hurdle
2m ½f
3.40pm
The Frontline Security Listed Chase
2m
4.15pm
The Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross-Country Chase
4m2f
4.50pm
The Conway Piling Listed Handicap Hurdle
2m 7½f
5.25pm
Barberstown Castle Novice Chase – Grade 1
2m
6.00pm
Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle
3m
6.35pm
The J P & M Doyle (C&G) Flat Race
2m
Time
2.30pm
3.05pm
3.40pm
4.15pm
4.50pm
5.25pm
6.00pm
6.35pm
Race
The Specialist Group Handicap Hurdle
The Close Brothers Listed Mares Novice Hurdle
The Frontline Security Listed Chase
The Mongey Communications La Touche Cup Cross-Country Chase
The Conway Piling Listed Handicap Hurdle
Barberstown Castle Novice Chase – Grade 1
Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle
The J P & M Doyle (C&G) Flat Race
Distance
2m
2m ½f
2m
4m2f
2m 7½f
2m
3m
2m

Day 4 - Friday – 2nd May 2025

Time
Race
Distance
3.40pm
The Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup
2m 5f
4.15pm
The Event Power Champion Hunters Chase
3m
4.50pm
Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Mares Chase
2m 5f
5.25pm
The QuinnBet Listed Novice Handicap Chase
2m 5f
6.00pm
Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle
3m ½f
6.35pm
Boodles Champion Hurdle
2m
7.05pm
The Uniquely Novice Hurdle
2m
7.40pm
The Overlander INH Flat Race
2m 2f
Time
3.40pm
4.15pm
4.50pm
5.25pm
6.00pm
6.35pm
7.05pm
7.40pm
Race
The Stanley Asphalt Hunters Chase for the Bishopscourt Cup
The Event Power Champion Hunters Chase
Hanlon Concrete Irish EBF Mares Chase
The QuinnBet Listed Novice Handicap Chase
Alanna Homes Champion Novice Hurdle
Boodles Champion Hurdle
The Uniquely Novice Hurdle
The Overlander INH Flat Race
Distance
2m 5f
3m
2m 5f
2m 5f
3m ½f
2m
2m
2m 2f

Day 5 - Saturday – 3rd May 2025

Time
Race
Distance
2.30pm
The Howden Cross-Country Chase
3m 1f
3.05pm
The Oaklodgelandscapes.ie Handicap Chase
3m 7f
3.40pm
SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle
2m 3f
4.15pm
The Palmerstown House Pat Taaffe Listed Handicap Chase
3m
4.50pm
Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle
2m
5.25pm
The Lawlor's Of Naas Listed Handicap Hurdle
3m
6.00pm
The DAR Golf Construction (Pro-Am) Flat Race
2m
6.35pm
The Punchestown Kidney Research Fund Charity Race
1m7f
Time
2.30pm
3.05pm
3.40pm
4.15pm
4.50pm
5.25pm
6.00pm
6.35pm
Race
The Howden Cross-Country Chase
The Oaklodgelandscapes.ie Handicap Chase
SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle
The Palmerstown House Pat Taaffe Listed Handicap Chase
Ballymore Champion Four Year Old Hurdle
The Lawlor's Of Naas Listed Handicap Hurdle
The DAR Golf Construction (Pro-Am) Flat Race
The Punchestown Kidney Research Fund Charity Race
Distance
3m 1f
3m 7f
2m 3f
3m
2m
3m
2m
1m7f

📈 Punchestown Jockey & Trainer Statistics

Punchestown is the home of jumps racing in Ireland and the Punchestown Festival is the highlight of the season at the Kildare venue. Below you will find a list of the most successful trainers and jockey at Punchestown across the last five seasons.

Top Jockeys and Trainers

Not surprisingly, Paul Townend leads the way as the top jockey at Punchestown in the last five seasons but there are some other names worth noting on the lists.

Jockey
Runs
Wins
Strike-rate
Paul Townend
208
96
46%
Jack Kennedy
232
42
18%
Mark Walsh
252
40
16%
Jockey
Paul Townend
Jack Kennedy
Mark Walsh
Runs
208
232
252
Wins
96
42
40
Strike-rate
46%
18%
16%

Willie Mullins is Ireland's champion trainer and tends to dominate at the Punchestown Festival on a yearly basis.

Trainer
Runners
Wins
Strike-rate
Willie Mullins
692
175
25%
Gordon Elliott
694
96
14%
Gavin Cromwell
299
42
14%
Trainer
Willie Mullins
Gordon Elliott
Gavin Cromwell
Runners
692
694
299
Wins
175
96
42
Strike-rate
25%
14%
14%

Willie Mullins will be expected to dominate once more after another record-breaking Cheltenham Festival last month, but the likes of Gordon Elliott, Henry De Bromhead and Gold Cup-winning Gavin Cromwell will all be keen to serve it up to the champion trainer. Read on for our extensive Punchestown Festival Guide while our bookmaker reviews will help you decide the best place to place your bets for Ireland's end of season showpiece.

🏆 Punchestown Past Winners

Willie Mullins is the king of Punchestown when it comes to success. In 2021, Mullins trained an incredible 19 winners from 40 races at the Punchestown Festival, surpassing his own record of 18 winners set in 2018. On Tuesday, April 25, 2018, Mullins saddled six of the seven winners on the card as Pravalaguna (Paul Townend), Next Destination (Paul Townend), Bellshill (David Mullins), Tornado Flyer (Richie Deegan), Patricks Park (Paul Townend) and Colreevy (Patrick Mullins) all scored.

Mullins will be crowned champion in Ireland for the 18th time at Punchestown in 2025, while last year he became the most successful trainer in Irish racing history as Ballyburn secured his record triumph at the Punchestown Festival, giving Mullins his 4,378th career victory, passing Dermot Weld's previous mark for wins.

🎯 BetInIreland’s Final Say

After months of waiting the Punchestown Festival 2025 Dates have arrived and we are all set for action at the world famous Co Kildare venue. The last dance of the National Hunt season is here and champions will be crowned after some major thrills and spills across five fantastic day of racing at peerless Punchestown.

❓ PUNCHESTOWN FESTIVAL FAQS

What are the Punchestown festival 2025 dates?

The Punchestown Festival runs from Tuesday April 29th until Saturday May 3rd in 2025.

Who is the Top rated Punchestown Trainer?

Willie Mullins, the champion trainer in Britain and Ireland, is the top trainer at Punchestown over the last five seasons with 175 winners at the track heading into the latest edition of this festival.

What are the best bookmakers for betting on the Punchestown Festival in Ireland?

Punters have a wide choice of bookmakers to choose from for Punchestown 2025, including William Hill, LeoVegas, Paripesa, ensuring they can shop around for best offers and terms for this five-day festival.

How can I use the Punchestown tips provided above?

The Punchestown Festival runs for five days and our tips encompass action from right across the meeting. Why not try a festival accumulator combining two or more tips to keep your interesting burning over the duration of the meeting.

What are the big races at Punchestown?

The features races include the William Hill Champion Chase, the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup, the Ladbrokes Champion Stayers' Hurdle, the Boodles Champion Hurdle and the SBK Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle.

About us

Enda McElhinney is an Irish-based sportswriter, specialising in written content on the GAA, horse racing and football. He has more than a decade of experience across many publications, bringing a wealth of knowledge and betting nous to his craft. You'll find his content featured on many websites, including The Telegraph and Planet Sport. When he isn't at this desk or the racecourse, he loves to unwind on the golf course – though sometimes that can be more stressful than working!

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