By Callum Close
The eyes of the racing world will turn to Ireland next week for the grand finale of the Irish National Hunt season – the 2025 Punchestown Festival.
Headlining the event is the clash between Britain and Ireland’s top yards, as they resume their battle for supremacy six weeks on from the Cheltenham Festival.
Despite having an extra day of racing, the Festival has its similarities to its English counterpart with horses often familiar with Prestbury Park.
Forty races, including 12 Grade Ones, will feature across five days of illustrious racing which will see over 3.5 million euros awarded in prize money.
The hosts often dominate as the away side, but how will it all unfold in County Kildare?
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When is the Punchestown Festival?
Tuesday, April 29 is the date that will see Punchestown take centre stage.
Day one of the Festival kicks off with the Kildare Hunt Club Cross Country Chase for the Ladies Perpetual Cup, it begins at 2:30pm UK time.
It precedes the William Hill Champion Chase, in which Ryanair Chase winner Fact To File is the (5/4) ante-post favourite for eight-time winning trainer Willie Mullins.
Days two and three feature the Ladbrokes Punchestown Gold Cup and Ladbrokes Champion Stayers Hurdle where Galopin des Champs and Teahupoo will look to avenge their respective Cheltenham Festival defeats.
The penultimate day features the Boodles Champion Hurdle, a race that will see Constitution Hill look to redeem his star-studded career after back-to-back falls – at Cheltenham and Aintree – which have seen him lose his only two races.
The crowning of the season champions, in the winners enclosure, is preceded by races such as the Irish EBF Mares Champion Hurdle and Ballymore Champion Four-Year-Old Hurdle, on day five.
Trainers to watch
Mullins has had another memorable season that has seen him train a record-equalling 10 winners at the Cheltenham Festival and the Grand National winner Nick Rockett.
He’s a 17-time winner of the Irish National Hunt Champion trainer and leads the standings by around 900 thousand euros in prize money.
However, the Irishman is in a head-to-head battle with English trainer Dan Skelton to retain the Great British National Hunt Champion Trainer title – only £53,000 separate the pair.
Mullins is sure to have fancied runners across the week at a course where he is the leading trainer, with 164 winners.
Gordon Elliott had a rough Cheltenham but trained Wodhooh, the winner of the Martin Pipe.
The class of his stable showed at Fairyhouse on Easter Weekend when he saddled a quickfire double with Maxxum and Found a Fifty.
He is second to Mullins in the Irish standings.
Others prominent in the standings include Henry de Bromhead, who trains the current Stayers Hurdle Champion Bob Olinger, and Gavin Cromwell – who saw his horses win the Cross Country and Gold Cup at the Cheltenham Festival.
Jockeys to watch
Paul Townend remains stable jockey for Mullins and is set to become the Irish Champion Jockey for the seventh time.
He has accumulated 2,312,855 euros in prize money this season and is 36 winners clear of Sam Ewing in second.
However, Ewing may provide better value for punters as he holds a level stakes profit of +46.50 at the County Kildare course, whilst Townend trades at a loss despite riding the most winners.
Despite being stable jockey for Paul Nicholls, Englishman Harry Cobden has played an unlikely role in the Trainers’ Championship this season in riding two significant winners for Mullins – including Captain Cody in the Scottish Grand National.
Last season’s Champion Jockey revealed that he is going to Punchestown and is hoping to pick up any spare rides.
Another notable jockey to watch is Champion Jockey elect Sean Bowen, who will be keen to follow up his win in the Irish Grand National on Monday,
How to watch on TV?
The festival will be broadcasted on Racing TV and is available to subscribers.
It will also be shown on ITV, live and for free to everyone in the UK.
