Punchestown Champion Hurdle Explained

Class:Grade 1
Horse Race:Punchestown Champion Hurdle
Location:Punchestown
County Kildare, Ireland
Race Type:Hurdle race
Sponsor:Boodles
Website:Punchestown
Distance:2 miles (3,219 metres)
Surface:Turf
Track:Right-handed
Qualification:Four-years-old and up
Weight:11 st 4 lb (4yo);
12 st 0 lb (5yo+)
Allowances
7 lb for fillies and mares
Purse:250,000 (2021)
1st: €147,500

|}The Punchestown Champion Hurdle is a Grade 1 National Hunt hurdle race in Ireland which is open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Punchestown over a distance of about 2 miles (3,219 metres), and during its running there are nine hurdles to be jumped. The race is scheduled to take place each year during the Punchestown Festival in late April or early May.

The present version of the race was introduced in 1999, and it was initially sponsored by Shell. Several different sponsors have followed, including Emo Oil, ACCBank, Rabobank, Racing Post, Betdaq and Paddy Power. Its current sponsor, Boodles, began supporting the race in 2024.

The field usually includes horses which ran previously in the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham, and the last to win both events in the same year was State Man in 2024. For a period the race was restricted to horses aged five or older, but the minimum age was lowered to four in 2009.

Records

Most successful horse since 1999 (4 wins):

Leading jockey since 1999 (6 wins):

Leading trainer since 1999 (10 wins):

Winners since 1999

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Year
Winner
Age
Jockey
Trainer
1999Istabraq7Charlie SwanAidan O'Brien
2000Grimes7Charlie SwanChristy Roche
20017Barry GeraghtyJessica Harrington
2002hide=y|Milenium}}6Ruby WalshWillie Mullins
2003Quazar5Tony DobbinJonjo O'Neill
2004Hardy Eustace7Conor O'DwyerDessie Hughes
2005Brave Inca7Tony McCoyColm Murphy
2006Macs Joy7Barry GeraghtyJessica Harrington
2007Silent Oscar8Robbie PowerHarry Rogers
2008Punjabi5Barry GeraghtyNicky Henderson
2009Solwhit5Davy RussellCharles Byrnes
2010Hurricane Fly6Paul TownendWillie Mullins
2011Hurricane Fly7Ruby WalshWillie Mullins
2012Hurricane Fly8Ruby WalshWillie Mullins
2013Hurricane Fly9Ruby WalshWillie Mullins
2014Jezki6Tony McCoyJessica Harrington
2015Faugheen7Ruby WalshWillie Mullins
2016Vroum Vroum Mag7Ruby WalshWillie Mullins
2017Wicklow Brave8Patrick MullinsWillie Mullins
2018Supasundae8Robbie PowerJessica Harrington
2019Buveur d'Air8Davy RussellNicky Henderson
data-sort-value="2020" no race 2020
2021Honeysuckle7Rachael BlackmoreHenry de Bromhead
2022Honeysuckle8Rachael BlackmoreHenry de Bromhead
2023State Man6Paul TownendWillie Mullins
2024State Man7Paul TownendWillie Mullins

See also

References